We talked with other leaders and said: “Please come and sit together; let’s prepare the constitution through discussion.” Mr Bhutto said that if the members of West Pakistan came here, the Assembly would turn into a slaughter-house. He said whoever would come would be killed. If they came to the Assembly, then from Peshawar to Karachi, all shops will be closed down by force.
I said that Assembly would continue, then all of a sudden, the Assembly was closed on March 1.
As president, Mr Yahya Khan had summoned the Assembly. I said that I would attend. Mr Bhutto said that he won’t.
Thirty-five members from West Pakistan came here. Then, all of a sudden, the Assembly was closed. The people of Bangla were blamed; I was blamed too.
On March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League, addressed a crowd of close to two million at the Dhaka Race Course.
Brothers of mine:
Today, I appear before you with a heavy heart. You know and understand everything. We tried with our lives. But the painful matter is that now the streets of Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajhshahi, and Rangpur are stained with the blood of my brothers.
Now the people of Bangla want freedom. The people of Bangla want to live. The people of Bangla want to have their rights.
What wrong did we commit?
What did we get? The weapons we bought at the expense of our money to protect the country from the invasion of foreign enemies, are now being used against the poor and unarmed people of our country; they are being shot down.
Brothers of mine, do you have faith in me?
I don’t want the prime ministership. We want to establish the right of the people of this country.
I want to say in clear terms that from now on, all courts, offices, and educational institutions in Bangladesh will remain closed sine die.
To ensure that no suffering is inflicted on the poor people, to ensure that my people do not suffer, from tomorrow. the following things will be put out of range of the hartal. Rickshaws and horse carts will work; railway trains and launches will run.
But the Secretariat, Supreme Court, High Court, Judge’s Court, and semi-government offices like WAPDA (Pakistan Water Development Authority) will not function. All employees will draw their salaries on the 28th of the month.
If salaries are not paid, if one more shot is fired, and if my people are killed: again then my request to you is build a fortress in each and every home.
Face the enemy with whatever you have.
We will starve them to death. We will make them go without water and choke them to death.
You are our brothers. You stay in your barracks; no one will say anything to you. But don’t ever try to shoot us. This will do you no good.
You can’t keep seven crore people subjugated. Since we have learnt to die, no one can dominate us.
We, from Awami League, will try our best to help those who are embracing martyrdom and those who have received injuries.
Those who are capable, please extend your monetary support, whatever you can to our relief fund. And every owner of industries will pay salaries to all workers who participated in the seven-day hartal.
My instruction to government officials is that you must obey what I say. From now on, tax will not be paid till such time as the freedom of our country is achieved; no one will pay anything.
Listen and bear in mind, the enemy has penetrated us in order to create divisions amongst us and to start looting.
Hindus, Muslims, Bengalis and non-Bengalis, all those who live in this Bangla are our brothers. The responsibility of protecting them is on you. Ensure that our reputation is not smeared in any way.
The employees of the radio and television; please bear in mind that if our words are not broadcasted by the radio, then no Bangali shall go to the radio station.
If our news is not broadcasted by television, then no Bangali will go to the television station. The banks shall remain open for two hours every day so that the people can get their salaries.
But from East Bangla, a single paisa will not be allowed to be remitted to West Pakistan.
Telephone and telegraph services will remain operative in our East Bangla. They shall keep on sending our news to foreign news media. But if there is any sinister move to annihilate the people of this country, the Bangalis, you will have to keep very careful watch.
I am requesting you, you are my brothers.
Do not make this country a hell and destroy it.
Do not make this country a hell and destroy it.
We will not see each other’s faces in the future.
If we can solve things in a peaceful manner, we can at least live as brothers.
That is why I am requesting you; do not try and run military rule in my country.
Artwork:
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy
