Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence
Encyclopedia
The independence of Bangladesh
was declared by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
through a message on 26 March 1971 just before he was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. (as per Radio Pakistan’s news on 29 March 1971). This declaration of independence marks the beginning of the Bangladesh Liberation War
.
. The message was translated to Bangla
by Dr. Manjula Anwar
. The students failed to secure permission from higher authorities to broadcast the message from the nearby Agrabad Station of Radio Pakistan. They crossed Kalurghat Bridge into an area controlled by an East Bengal Regiment under Major Ziaur Rahman
. Bengali soldiers guarded the station as engineers prepared for transmission. At 19:45 on 27 March 1971, Major Ziaur Rahman broadcast announcement of the declaration of independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur. The next day, Major Ziaur Rahman made another announcement:
The Kalurghat
Radio Station's transmission capability was limited, but the message was picked up by a Japanese ship in Bay of Bengal
. It was then re-transmitted by Radio Australia
and later by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
M A Hannan
, an Awami League leader from Chittagong, is said to have made the first announcement of the declaration of independence over the radio on 26 March 1971. There is controversy now as to when Major Zia gave his speech. BNP sources maintain that it was 26 March, and there was no message regarding declaration of independence from Mujibur Rahman. Pakistani sources, like Siddiq Salik in Witness to Surrender had written that he heard about Mujibor Rahman's message on the radio while Operation Searchlight
was going on, and Maj. Gen. Hakeem A. Qureshi in his book The 1971 Indo-Pak War: A Soldier's Narrative, gives the date of Zia's speech as 27 March 1971. Major Zia is said do have declared the independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
26 March 1971 is considered the official Independence Day of Bangladesh
. In July 1971, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
openly referred to the former East Pakistan
as Bangladesh. Some Pakistani and Indian officials continued to use the name "East Pakistan" until 16 December 1971.
http://www.prothom-alo.com/26-march/
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
was declared by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
through a message on 26 March 1971 just before he was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. (as per Radio Pakistan’s news on 29 March 1971). This declaration of independence marks the beginning of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.
Text of declaration
Declaration of Independence signed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was:Today Bangladesh is a sovereign and independent country. On Thursday night, West Pakistani armed forces suddenly attacked the police barracks at Razarbagh and the EPR headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka. Many innocent and unarmed have been killed in Dhaka city and other places of Bangladesh. Violent clashes between E.P.R. and Police on the one hand and the armed forces of Pakistan on the other, are going on. The Bengalis are fighting the enemy with great courage for an independent Bangladesh. May Allah aid us in our fight for freedom. Joy Bangla.
Spread of the declaration
A telegram containing the text of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's declaration reached some students in ChittagongChittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
. The message was translated to Bangla
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
by Dr. Manjula Anwar
Manjula Anwar
Dr. Manjula Anwar is a prominent Bengali linguist. She translated the famous independence telegram in Chittagong declaring the independence of East Pakistan from Pakistan as Bangladesh in 1971.-References:...
. The students failed to secure permission from higher authorities to broadcast the message from the nearby Agrabad Station of Radio Pakistan. They crossed Kalurghat Bridge into an area controlled by an East Bengal Regiment under Major Ziaur Rahman
Ziaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
. Bengali soldiers guarded the station as engineers prepared for transmission. At 19:45 on 27 March 1971, Major Ziaur Rahman broadcast announcement of the declaration of independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur. The next day, Major Ziaur Rahman made another announcement:
This is Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, at the direction of Bangobondhu sheikh Mujibur Rahman, hereby declare that the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh has been established. At his direction, I have taken command as the temporary Head of the Republic. In the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I call upon all Bengalis to rise against the attack by the West Pakistani Army. We shall fight to the last to free our Motherland. By the grace of Allah, victory is ours. Joy Bangla. Audio of Zia's announcement (interview - Belal Mohammed) Video of Major Zia's own statement about this declaration
The Kalurghat
Kalurghat
Kalurghat is located several miles north of the port city of Chittagong, Bangladesh, and is mostly famous for several heavy industries located there...
Radio Station's transmission capability was limited, but the message was picked up by a Japanese ship in Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
. It was then re-transmitted by Radio Australia
Radio Australia
Radio Australia is the international broadcasting and online service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation , Australia's public broadcaster.- History :...
and later by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
M A Hannan
M A Hannan
M. A. Hannan or Abdul Hannan is cited by many as the first person to read over radio the Bangladeshi declaration of independence, written by the leader of East Pakistan and Chief of Awami League Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the Kalurghat Betar Kendra, Chittagong on March 26, 1971.During...
, an Awami League leader from Chittagong, is said to have made the first announcement of the declaration of independence over the radio on 26 March 1971. There is controversy now as to when Major Zia gave his speech. BNP sources maintain that it was 26 March, and there was no message regarding declaration of independence from Mujibur Rahman. Pakistani sources, like Siddiq Salik in Witness to Surrender had written that he heard about Mujibor Rahman's message on the radio while Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan in March 1971. Ordered by the central government in West Pakistan, this was seen as the sequel to "Operation Blitz" which had been...
was going on, and Maj. Gen. Hakeem A. Qureshi in his book The 1971 Indo-Pak War: A Soldier's Narrative, gives the date of Zia's speech as 27 March 1971. Major Zia is said do have declared the independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
26 March 1971 is considered the official Independence Day of Bangladesh
Independence Day Of Bangladesh
The Independence Day of Bangladesh , also referred as 26 March is a national holiday. It commemorates the country's declaration of independence from Pakistan on late hours of 25 March 1971...
. In July 1971, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
openly referred to the former East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
as Bangladesh. Some Pakistani and Indian officials continued to use the name "East Pakistan" until 16 December 1971.
See also
- Bangladesh Liberation WarBangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
http://www.prothom-alo.com/26-march/