Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the historic Six-Point Demand was the brainchild of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as no-one else was involved in formulating this crucial political program that led to the country’s Independence.
"Many people want to say many things regarding the Six-Point Demand. Some say it was done by that person's suggestions, some say it was formulated with advice from those persons, but I know for sure, it was the brainchild of his [Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman] own thinking," the premier said on Wednesday.
The prime minister said this while distributing awards among the winners of a quiz competition, which was organised marking the historic Six-Point Demand Day, observed every year on June 7.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee organised the program at International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka.
The prime minister joined the program virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
Recalling the background of Six-Point Demand, she said Bangabandhu was arrested in 1958 and released on December 17, 1969. At that time, politics was banned and Bangabandhu could not go outside Dhaka, and he joined Alfa Insurance Company.
She mentioned that Tajuddin Ahmed was also under arrest at that time. After release, he went to Fatullah, Narayanganj to join his job. Bangabandhu himself went to Narayanganj and brought Tajuddin Ahmed back to Dhaka and gave him a job in Alfa Insurance Company.
Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was studying at Dhaka University then, said Bangabandhu appointed Mohammad Hanif as his PA in the Alfa Insurance Company.
"Bangabandhu used to think, write down those and gave those write-ups to Hanif for typing out. Only Hanif knew about this (Six-Point Demand) as he typed them out, no-one else would know about it," she said.
She said the Six-Point Demand came out from the thoughts of Bangabandhu after the 1965 India-Pakistan war that lasted for three weeks and the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was totally left defenceless.
She also said after the arrest of Bangabandhu and other front-ranking AL leaders due to the announcement of the Six- Point Demand, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, Bangabandhu’s wife and mother of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, had played a great role in publicizing and advancing the movement centring these demands.
"The contributions of my mother to Bangladesh cannot be imagined. She always knew what my father wanted, she was very aware of his wishes," Hasina said.
The prime minister said the massacre on August 15 in 1975 stopped the advancement of Bangladesh.
Speaking on the brutal killing of Bangabandhu and his family members on August 15, 1975, she said that with that killing, the defeated forces emerged in the country and tried to diminish the country's victory.
"I think there’s no scope for that now. History has its own course (and) no one can erase that and that has been established today," she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government wanted to advance the country following the path shown by the Father of the Nation.
"If we want to make Bangladesh as 'Golden Bengal' free from poverty and hunger, and a developed and prosperous one, then we must take lessons from history and follow the footsteps of the Father of the Nation. And we have to uphold our victory," she said.
State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak also spoke on the occasion.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee President National Professor Rafiqul Islam gave vote of thanks while Chief Coordinator Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury delivered the welcome speech.
A documentary on Bangabandhu and historic Six-Point Demand was also screened at the program.
Some 100 competitors received certificates signed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and prize money for securing various positions in the quiz competition in different categories.
