পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্থ খণ্ড).pdf/৪৬১

বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিল : চতুর্থ খন্ড The problem of nationalities had thus become a most serious and important problem in Pakistan. Fight of the People for Democracy and Autonomy In the above context, the democratic movement in East Pakistan, as well as in the whole of Pakistan, had begun on two fundamental demands democracy and autonomy for the nationalists. This struggle of the people of East Pakistan (Bangladesh) had begun as far back as 1948 on the issue of language. The ruling classes had tried to foist Urdu the mothertongue of only 6 per cent of the population, as the only State-language of Pakistan. The Bengalis of East Pakistan had risen against that attempted reactionary measure of the ruling classes and had demanded that Bengali, the mother tongue of the 56 per cent of the population, be made one of the Stale languages. It is to be noted here that it was in the same year of 1948 that the Pathans had also launched a movement for their autonomy. However, the struggle of the people of Bangladesh on the language issue assumed a wide character in 1952 and gradually developed into a struggle for democracy and autonomy. The reactionary ruling clique had always tried to suppress that movement by severe repressive measures, including shooting down of students and youth on the streets of Dacca (1952). They had also tried to dub that popular struggle as being "inspired by India" and confuse the people. But the popular struggle went on unabated. All democratic parties and forces, including the Communist Party of East Pakistan which had been functioning underground since 1948, participated in that movement. In the background of the above struggle by the people of East Pakistan for autonomy and democracy, there was a provincial election in East Pakistan in 1954. In that election, all opposition parties had formed a United Front against the ruling partyMuslim League. A 21-point programme was chalked out by the United Front in which the demand for the fullest autonomy for East Pakistan was a most important one. The United Front had demanded that "East Pakistan be, recognized as a sovereign and autonomous region" in accordance with the principle of the Pakistan Resolution passed by the All-India Muslim League Council in 1940 at Lahore, that "the Central government should be vested only with three subjects such as defense, foreign affairs and currency" and that "all other subjects including the residuary powers should be in the hands of the elected government of East Pakistan". The United Front had thus clearly defined the demand for autonomy, and the people of East Pakistan had unequivocally supported and voted for it. In that election the United Front had scored a glorious victory securing 290 seats, including 4 Communist Party candidates, out of 300. The ruling Muslim League was, routed and got only 9 seats. The result of that election of 1954 had clearly demonstrated the tact that the people of East Pakistan stood solidly for autonomy as defined in the United Front programme.