On this day in 1971, Pakistan president Yahya Khan adjourned the session of the National Assembly, which was scheduled to have been held in Dhaka on March 25.
As an excuse, Yahya said there was an "opportunity to expand the atmosphere of consensus" between the political parties in both parts of Pakistan.
Yahya Khan, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto met at the President’s House on the morning of March 22, 1971. Emerging at the end of the 45-minute-long meeting, Bangabandhu told reporters: “Our movement is going on. The movement will continue until our goal is achieved.”
Meanwhile, at mid-day, Bhutto returned to the hotel under tight security from the President’s House and went into a meeting with his advisers amid the anti-Bhutto protests in the city.
Later in the evening, leaders of the People's Party, led by Bhutto, visited the President’s House.
Bhutto later held a press conference in the hotel lounge where he said: “The president and Awami League chief reached a general consensus on resolving the current political crisis. But that consensus must be acceptable to the People's Party. West Pakistanis cannot accept any decision without the approval of the People's Party.”
On this day a procession chanting the slogan “Joy Bangla” went to Bangabandhu's residence in Dhanmondi.
The daily newspapers carried the news the next day, noting that never before had so many processions gone to number 32 in one day.
Bangabandhu addressed the people at his residence several times during the day. "Seventy million Bangalis are united, I will definitely achieve the demand."
He said: "We have been beaten for 23 years, and now no more oppression. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. If needed we will sacrifice more but this time, we have to ensure that the demands of the people are met.”