Six-point demand led to country’s independence: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that the country’s independence was achieved on the basis of the six-point formula, the “Charter of Freedom” for Bengalees, and reiterated her pledge to build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous country with the spirit of the Liberation War.

“We won the election (1970 national election) and achieved the country’s independence on the basis of the six-point demand which actually consisted of one point that was independence. We, the family members, at least knew it, as he (Bangabandhu) always told us that six-point was basically one-point that means independence. Now, we are an independent nation,” she said.

The prime minister said this in a prerecorded special discussion titled “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Charter of Freedom for Bengalees” held on the virtual platform marking the historic Six-Point Demand Day, as the nation celebrates it every year on 7 June.

Organized by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee, the meeting was broadcast by Bangladesh Television, private television online and on social networking sites.

Sheikh Hasina, also President of the ruling Awami League, said that 7 June (1966) is very significant for the Bangalee nation and the day was inscribed as a red letter one as eleven people including labour leader Monu Mia sacrificed their lives in Pakistani occupation forces actions while they were enforcing a nationwide hartal demanding realization of the six-point formula and release of the Father of the Nation from the jail.

Referring to several speeches by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to drum up support in favour of the six-point demand, she said that the Father of the Nation knew well before that Bangladesh would be an independent country.

She quoted Bangabandhu as saying, “In this country, the Awami League first bears the message of every struggle. It is true that they (AL leaders and activists) were going through torture. But, the movement didn’t go in vain. The six-point demand will also not fail. We will make the struggle successful through sacrifices. InshaAllah, the victory will be our’s.”

The prime minister said that the six-point demand was outcome of the thought of Bangabandhu relating to establishing the rights of the East Pakistani people as there were huge discrimination among the East and West Pakistani people in every sector particularly in civil and military jobs.

Another reason for declaring the six-point demand had come to surface during the Indo-Pak war in 1965 when the people of East Bengal or East Pakistan remained totally unprotected as there was no importance to the central government of Pakistan for protecting this region, she went on saying.

She also recalled the contribution of her mother in making the nationwide 7th June hartal success to pursue the six-point demand by organizing the party activists evading the eyes of intelligence agencies in absence of Bangabandhu as he was in jail at that time.