Historic 6-Point Day today

The historic Six-Point Day, marking the demand for autonomy for the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, is going to be observed across the country in a befitting manner today as it is done every year.

On this day back in 1966, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman launched a massive movement against the misrule of the Pakistanis on the basis of the 6-point demand, the Magna Carta of the Bengalis, demanding autonomy for the then East Pakistan.

Eleven people, including Manu Mian, Shafique and Shamsul Haque, were shot dead down by the police and paramilitary EPR on that day in Dhaka and Narayanganj during a hartal called for the release of Bangabandhu and other leaders detained for launching the Six-Point Movement.

The Father of the Nation launched his historic six-point political and economic programme in Lahore on February 5 in 1966, aiming at attaining greater autonomy for the then East Pakistan in the backdrop of exploitation and discrimination by the then Pakistani rulers.

The six-point demands were creating provision in the constitution for a Federation of Pakistan in its true sense based on the Lahore Resolution, the federal government will deal with only two subjects: Defence and Foreign Affairs, introduction of two separate, but freely convertible currencies for East and West Pakistan, vesting the power of taxation and revenue collection with the federating units, maintaining two separate accounts for the foreign exchange earnings of the two wings and creation a separate militia or paramilitary force for East Pakistan.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the six-point day.

To mark the day, different socio-political organisations including ruling Awami League, its associate bodies and like-minded socio-cultural organisations have taken elaborate programmes.

The Awami League's programmes include hoisting of the national and party flags at 6:30am atop Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi and central office in the capital and all unit offices across the country today.

Leaders and workers of Awami League and its front organisations will place floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi around 8am.

Besides, a discussion will be held at AL central office in the city's Bangabandhu Avenue at 4pm. AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the discussion through videoconferencing.

Former Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Board of Directors Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said actually six-point demand brought Bangladesh's independence.

Bangabandhu's foresight and political prudence were so keen that he turned the 6-point demand into a one-point demand and called for the independence movement of Bengal, he added.