Historic Six-Point Day today

The historic Six-Point Day, marking the demand for autonomy for the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, will be observed today across the country in a befitting manner.

On June 7 in 1966, Father of the Nation 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 gunned down by the police and paramilitary EPR on June 7, 1966 in Dhaka and Narayanganj during a hartal called for the release of Bangabandhu and other leaders detained for launching the Six-Point Movement against the then barbaric ruling clique.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 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.

In his message, President Hamid paid rich tributes to the memories of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all who embraced martyrdom for implementing the six-point demand.

Terming the historic six-point demand as the milestone in the country's long struggle for independence, he said the independence of Bangalee nation was not achieved in a single day.

Bangabandhu placed the historic six-point demand in Lahore in 1966 for autonomy of Bangalee nation in continuation of formation of Juktafront in 1954, movement against autocratic rule in 1958 and 1962 Education Commission movement.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, paid glowing tributes to the memories of all martyrs of the struggle for independence including those of the June 7 and said that the historic June 7 is an unforgettable and significant day in the history of Bangladesh.

"The historic movement for six-point demand, declared by the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, got a new dimension on June 7, 1966," she said.

"We will build the Sonar Bangladesh as dreamt by father of the nation by realizing the dream of the martyrs of June 7," she said.

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 and hold discussions.