Kalurghat

Kalurghat (Bangla: কালুরঘাট) is located several miles north of the port city of Chittagong, Bangladesh, and is mostly famous for several heavy industries located there. A bridge near Kalurghat on the Karnaphuli River connects Chittagong city with the southern parts of the district.

Kalurghat is also the location of the radio transmitter where Major Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. Using a makeshift radio transmitter located in Kalurghat, first M A Hannan on 26 March 1971, and later on 27 March Ziaur Rahman, an army major then, and President of Bangladesh much later, declared the Independence of Bangladesh, on behalf of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The first declaration

An English translation of the first declaration of independence by M A Hannan on 26th March 1971 is given below::"Today Bangladesh is a sovereign and independent country. On Thursday night West Pakistani armed forces suddenly attacked the police barracks at Razarbagh and the EPR headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka. Many innocent and unarmed have been killed in Dhaka city and other places of Bangladesh. Violent clashes between EPR and Police on the one hand and the armed forces of Pindi on the other, are going on. The Bengalis are fighting the enemy with great courage for an independent Bangladesh. May God aid us in our fight for freedom. Joy Bangla."

It is believed that the first declaration of independence was not widely noticed by international media and the international community.

Zia's declaration

Major Ziaur Rahman’s opening words in Bangla, "Ami Major Zia Bolchi", that is, “I am Major Zia speaking”, were picked up by news agencies, and were given wide publicity across the globe. "Ami Major Zia Bolchi" were followed by declaration of a sovereign and independent Bangladesh, in these words::"This is Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, at the direction of Bango Bondhu Mujibur Rahman, hereby declare that the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh has been established. At his direction, I have taken command as the temporary head of the republic. In the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I call upon all Bengalis to rise against the attack by the west Pakistani Army. WE shall fight to the last to free our motherland. By the grace of Allah, victory is ours. Joy Bangla."

These words were picked up first by a Japanese ship anchored in Chittagong harbour, and were flashed to the world. News of Zia's declaration was first broadcast by Radio Australia, and the world at large came to know of birth of Bangladesh.

ee also

*Bangladesh Liberation War

Further reading

*The History of the Liberation Movement in Bangladesh, "Author J. S. Gupta"

External links

* [http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/history/declaration.html Kalurghat Radio station]