Nation observes historic 6-Point Day

Awami League leaders and workers, led by Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-alam Hanif, paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing floral wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in the city on Tuesday morning marking the Day.

AL Presidium Member Advocate Sahara Khatun, Labour Affairs Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, Liberation Affairs Secretary Captain (retd) Tajul Islam and Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, among others, were present on the occasion.

Different front organisations and associates bodies including Dhaka City AL South and North, Awami Jubo League, Krishak League, Swechchhasebak League, Jubo Mahila League and Bangladesh Chhatra League paid their homage to Bangabandhu. Later, they brought out procession from the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.

On this day in 1966, the Bangabandhu-led Awami League called for a day-long hartal throughout East Pakistan pressing the demand for autonomy for the eastern wing of erstwhile Pakistan.

The Six-Point Programme, which eventually appeared to be the Magna Karta of the nation, was aimed to end exploitation, deprivation, subjugation and tyranny of the then Pakistani rulers on the eastern people.

At the call of Awami League, the people of the then East Pakistan observed spontaneously a dawn-to-dusk hartal across the province.

Paramilitary East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) and police of then Pakistani junta fired gunshots on demonstrators at different places including Tejgaon Industrial area of Dhaka, Narayanganj and areas surrounding Jagannath College and other towns that left at least 10 including labour leader Monu Miah, Shafique and Shamsul Huq killed.

The spilling of blood of so many people intensified the movement further for autonomy. As a sequel to it came the historic mass upsurge in 1969 for the Bangalees' great movement demanding provincial autonomy which caused the downfall the reign of Field Marshal Ayub Khan.

Later, in the all Pakistan basis general election in 1970, Awami League led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman recorded a landslide victory. But, the Pakistani military dictators refused to hand over power to Awami League.

Ultimately, the demand for autonomy culminated into country's long and arduous struggle for independence.

Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country in the community of nations fighting successfully a nine-month-old war against the Pakistani occupation forces on December 16, 1971.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages marking the day.

In separate messages, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recalled the supreme sacrifices of heroic Bangalees for materialization of the six-point demand.

"Our government is firm to protect the democratic rights of the people being motivated with the spirit of all democratic movement and struggle including the historic June 6", said the PM.