Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina paid homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the martyrs of historic Six-Point Movement.
She placed wreaths at the memorial of Bangabandhu at Dhanmondi 32 of the capital early in the morning, first as the premier and then as chief of the party. Central leaders of the ruling party were also present.
Later the city unit of the Awami League, its affiliate bodies and other social, cultural and educational institutions placed wreaths at the memorial.
Bangabandhu declared the six-point demands against the discrimination and oppressive policies of the then West Pakistani rulers at a national council in Lahore on February 5 in 1966. After returning to Dhaka, Bangabandhu built a mass movement across the country in favour of the demands.
On May 8, the then autocratic Ayub government arrested Bangabandhu and sent him to jail.
On June 7, 1966, the six-point demands reached a new height. On that day, at the command of the then ruling clique, police and the then East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) opened fire on unarmed people in Dhaka and Narayanganj, and killed 11 people during a hartal, called by the Awami League.
In her message, the prime minister, also daughter of Sheikh Mujib, on Saturday said the present government was committed to uphold democratic rights of the people imbued with the spirit of all democratic movements and struggles including the historic six-point demands.
She also paid rich tribute to the memories of martyrs of all movements of struggle of independence for realising people’s rights.
“Insha Allah, we will realise the dream of the martyrs of six-point by turning Bangladesh into a hunger, poverty, terrorism and corruption free modern and secular digital country through implementing the Vision 2021 and Vision 2041,” Hasina said in her statement.