As time progressed, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the top leader of East Pakistan. In the 1960s, he realized it was high time that he should start campaigning for an independent country.
On February 5, 1966, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman presented his historic Six-Point demand for regional autonomy at a conference in Lahore. When his fellow opposition leaders refused to entertain it, he announced the program at a news conference.
The Six-Point program has been widely acknowledged as the "charter of freedom" for Bengalis. Historians and political analysts say the Six-Point movement in June 1966 was a turning point in Bangladesh's struggle for freedom from Pakistani colonial domination.
It drew the roadmap for the independence of Bangladesh under the garb of greater autonomy. The program hit hard at the roots of Pakistani colonial rule over Bengalis.
Historian Mohiuddin Ahmad, whose books on political history have been widely acclaimed, told Dhaka Tribune that although the key demand from the Six-Point was also mentioned in the 21 demands made by United Front in 1954, the Six-Point formula was very specific, well focused and aggressive.
“Within four years, the six points turned into one demand. The leaders of then West Pakistan realized that if they acceded to the Six-Point demand, then East Pakistan would no longer be with them. It would be a confederation automatically, and that’s why West Pakistan rejected the Six-Point from the beginning,” he said.
Meanwhile, after the declaration of the Six-Point, Bangabandhu was elected president of Awami League.
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Bangabandhu travelled far and wide to gain support for his Six-Point program and was arrested eight times during the campaign. After being arrested on May 8, 1966, he was imprisoned for nearly three years.
On June 7, 1966, the Awami League called a countrywide strike in East Pakistan in support of the historic Six-Point program. Considering the events of the day, which became a milestone on the road to Bangladesh's independence in 1971, the nation has since been observing June 7 as the historic Six-Point Day.
Dr Syed Anwar Hussain, supernumerary teacher at the History Department of Dhaka University, told Dhaka Tribune politicians of different quarters made various demands after the partition of 1947, but Bangabandhu’s Six-Point combined them all.
During the movement, a booklet on Six-Point with an introduction from Sheikh Mujib and Tajuddin Ahmad was published.
Also Read - Bangabandhu in Dhaka: A leader of the Language Movement
Another booklet titled “Amader Bachar Dabi: Chhoy-dofa Karmashuchi” (Our demand for existence: Six-Point Program) was published in the name of Sheikh Mujib and distributed at the Awami League council held on March 18, 1966.
The Six Points
1. The constitution shall provide for a federation of Pakistan in its true sense on the Lahore Resolution, and the parliamentary form of government with supremacy of a legislature directly elected on the basis of universal adult franchise.
2. The federal government shall deal with only two subjects: Defence and Foreign Affairs, and all other residuary subjects shall be vested in the federating states.
3. Two separate, but freely convertible currencies for two wings should be introduced; or if this is not feasible, there should be one currency for the whole country, but effective constitutional provisions should be introduced to stop the flight of capital from East to West Pakistan. Furthermore, a separate reserve bank should be established, and a separate fiscal and monetary policy be adopted for East Pakistan.
4. The power of taxation and revenue collection shall be vested in the federating units and the federal centre will have no such power on the issue. The federation will be entitled to a share in state taxes to meet its expenditures.
5. There should be two separate accounts for the foreign exchange earnings of the two wings; the foreign exchange requirements of the federal government shall be met by the two wings equally or in a ratio to be fixed; indigenous products shall move free of duty between the two wings, and the constitution shall empower the units to establish trade links with foreign countries.
6. East Pakistan shall have a separate militia or paramilitary force.
