Independence Day Of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a very small country located in south Asia with an area of about 1,47,570 square kilometers. It gained its independence in 26th March 1971. Although the country gained its independence from the British much earlier in 1947 but from then on until 1971 it was not recognized as Bangladesh.

It became a province of Pakistan and was known as East Pakistan.

Although the West Pakistanis kept saying that both the East and West Pakistan would have equality in every aspect but actually they never treated the East Pakistanis equally. To them it was just a province- a small province which they could rule the way they wanted it to.The incident of 21st February in 1953 is just a proof of it. Pakistan's president of the time Kaeed-E-Azam declared that only Urdu would be the mother language of Pakistan. Despite of the protests by many Bangalis, he sticked to his decision.When the protest turned into a doom in 20 February 1953 the Pakistani president imposed the section 144 law which said that three or more people are not allowed to walk together. The students of Dhaka University decided to keep protesting despite of the law enforced to stop them. When a rally of students were crossing the Dhaka Medical College area the Pakistani army fired at the students killing several of them.

Later the Pakistani president, under the pressure and criticism exerted from foreign presidents, agreed to keep Bengali as one of the mother languages of the province. But even after this, the torture and humalation of the Pakistani army went on. Differences between East Pakistan and West Pakistan soon began to emerge. In 1970, Yahya khan, the president of Pakistan of the time decided to hold an election in 7 December, 1970.

The result of the election was never in doubt.Awami League claimed major seats in the National Assembly and won. Sheikh Mujib now was to be entitled as Prime Minister of Pakistan.Though Yahya Khan at first accepted the election but then he postponed the meeting of the National assembly which Sheikh Mujib wanted. This angered Sheikh Mujib who immediately called for a general strike. Yahya Khan was forced to announce the meeting of the National Assembly on 25th March. He flew to East Pakistan to discuss with Sheikh Mujib. Sheikh Mujib agreed a proposal by Zilfikur Bhutto that Awami League would take control of East Pakistan and PPP(Pakistan People's Party) would take control of West Pakistan. This convinced Yahya Khan that East Pakistan wanted to be separated and so he further postponed the meeting of the National Assembly and ordered the Pakistan army to crush the riots and protests held in East Pakistan and flew back to Pakistan.On March 25, the Pakistani army, under command of general Tikka Khan, isolated Dhaka and attacked and killed over 50,000 Bangalis. Sheikh Mujib was taken as prisoner and sentenced to death (the sentence was not carried out).On the same day general Ziaur Rahman (on behalf of Sheikh Mujib) declared Bangladesh independent from a radio station in Chittagong and thus commenced the war of Liberation.

The War of Liberation went on for nine months during which almost 3 million people were victims.At long last, we gained our independent golden Bangladesh in 16 December, 1971. The declarance of independence and the war of liberation expresses the sacrifice that the people of Bangladesh could offer for the love of their country.