Khulna becomes volatile since March 1, 1971

Khulna city turned into a living volcano on March 1 in 1971 as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was virtually running the country from Road No-32 of Dhanmondi in Dhaka when the then Pakistan president Yahia Khan’s rule became irrelevant to the Bangalees in East Pakistan.

While describing the situation of Khulna during the March period of 1971, Sheikh Quamruzzaman Tuku, Commander of Mujib Bahini (BLF) during the Liberation War, said they took mental preparation to form Khulna Chhatra Sangram Parishad (CSP) as per the directive received from the central leaders of Shwadhin Bangladesh Chhatra Sangram Parishad.

“Thousands of people took to the streets in the city chanting slogans against the Pakistani centrists, demanding handing over of power to Bangabandhu, the leader of the majority party Awami League, which won the highest number of seats in the National Assembly in 1970 polls,” he said.

Tuku said an eight-member convening committee was formed at a meeting held at Shaheed Hadis Park.

Also the Chairman of Bagerhat Zila Parishad, Tuku said senior Awami League leaders were guiding the committee members to launch a non-cooperation movement against the Pakistani rulers in the Khulna region.

“Public and private offices, as well as business activities, came to a complete halt while the educational institutions suspended academic activities to join the non-cooperation movement against the Pakistani rule”, he said.

Both public and private jute mills as well as other industries including shrimp factories in the region remained off from production.

To gear up the movement, Khulna Chhatra Sangram Parishad took a bold decision to hoist the flag of independent Bangladesh in the morning on March 23, 1971, at Shaheed Hadis Park.

Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life under the banner of CSP joined the flag-hoisting ceremony.

Meanwhile, CSP followed the decision of central leaders and observed hartal, blockade, rally and protest procession. Different political parties including labour and student organisations expressed their solidarity with all CSP programmes.