Key words : declaration, resist, repression, occupation
A. Look at the image below and discuss in pairs to answer the following questions.
- What does 'declaration of independence' mean?
- Who declared the independence of Bangladesh and when?
B. Read the text below and see whether what you thought or have known about the declaration of independence is correct.
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
"This may be my last message. From today Bangladesh is indenpendent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh wherever you might be and with whatever you have, to resist the army of occupation to the last. Your fight must go on until the last soldier of the Pakistan occupation army is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh and final victory is achieved." [Message embodying Declaration of Independence sent by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Chattogram shortly after midnight of 25th March, i.e. early hours of 26th March, 1971 for transmission throughout Bangladesh over the cx-EPR transmitter.] |
Source : Bangladesh Swadhinata Juddho: Dalil Potro, volume-3, and The Constitution of Bangladesh
Perhaps all of you are familiar with Bangabandhu's historic speech on 7th March, 1971. In that speech he narrated the long history of repression and struggle of Bangalees for self-rule. There he narrated how the Pakistani rulers exploited us and tried to stop our voice at the gun-point. By the end of the speech he urged everyone to be prepared with whatever they had. He emphasized that our struggle was for liberty and independence. And finally, the declaration of independence came from Bangabandhu in the first hours of 26 March, 1971. Bangabandhu passed on this voice message just before he was arrested by the Pakistani Army.
- Why is March 26 observed as the Independence Day of Bangladesh?
- Who declared Bangladesh an independent state?
- Why did Bangabandhu say "This may be my last message." in his declaration of independence?
- What connection do you find between Bangabandhu's speech on 7 March 1971 and this message on declaration of independence?
C. Match the words in the box with their meaning.
| Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Exploit | Stress |
| Emphasize | Independence |
| Struggle | Abuse |
| Liberty | Encourage |
| Urge | Wrestle |
D. The sentences below in a nutshell tell us what happened from Bangabandhu's declaration of independence on 26 March, 1971 to his homecoming on 10 January, 1972. However, the sentences are not in the right order. Re-arrange them to make a cohesive text.
- It was such a big setback for his political colleagues, but as per Mujib's advice many of them were able to cross the border in the next few days.
- On the night of 25 March 1971, the Pakistani army started mass killing under their "Operation Search Light".
- Mujib was almost sure that this would happen.
- Afterwards they formed a government in-exile for the "People's Republic of Bangladesh" on 17 April, 1971.
- After a nine-month long war, over ninety thousand Pakistani soldiers unconditionally surrendered to the joint command of Bangladesh's Liberation Army and Indian forces on 16 December 1971.
- Hence he issued a text and a recorded message for the people urging them to fight for their own freedom.
- On 10 January 1972, Mujib returned to his country as a hero and became the Father of the Nation.
- Later that night, Mujib was arrested and taken to West Pakistan.
- From there they led the war of independence in the name Bangabandhu.
- There he declared the independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of 26 March, 1971.
E. Write a dialogue between you and your friends on how independence was declared by Bangabandhu.
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