We have adopted peaceful methods of negotiations with the ruling clique to settle the problem. People in their en masse took part in peaceful mass actions to express their whole hearted support to the elected parliament.
But the ruling class took the most dastardly attitude towards it had Bent the army to East Pakistan on the night of 25th March. 1971 and began its occupation.
This is the background in which we in Bangladesh were forced to adopt a different course of action. We were put in a position where we had the alternative only to light for our national independence and dignity or to perish.
Naturally we have had to chose the former path and thus began a new chapter in our history.
Bangladesh is now declared an Independent Republic. The government of Peoples Republic of Bangladesh is headed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed is the Prime Minister, which is the only legitimate government, duly elected and enjoying the confidence of our people.
In its desperate effort to wipe out and exterminate our people, and somehow to occupy the country, the ruling military clique of Pakistan is trying to discredit our movement by calling it a cessationist war and describe it as an effort against the interests of Islam and characterize it as an international affairs. We would like to make certain points clear here.
1. The democratically elected people's representatives who had every right to rule Pakistan were refused to be acknowledged by a military dictator-ship, who have no mandate to rule but only the brutal strength of army at their disposal. We are fighting for democracy. It cannot be described as a war of cessation.
2. Bringing the name of Islam is an effort to confuse the world public opinion. The ruling military dictatorship of Pakistan is perpetrating genocide in Bangladesh where millions of Muslims are their victims. This is a fight for democracy and national dignity and it has nothing to do with the religion.
3. When brutal military force is indulged in mass massacre of innocents no one can take a passive attitude towards it saying that it is an internal problem of a particular country. By violating the norms of democracy and scuttling the will of people and by sending army to occupy Bangladesh, the military regime had actually struck the final blow to our national unity and now there is no more a Pakistan existing as it used to be. What is happening today is an occupation army is attacking a peaceful people and killing millions. It cannot be an internal matter of any nation.
It is a challenge to the conscience of the entire mankind. In this battle, it is very natural that the students any youth are playing a very significant role. They are in the battlefield as commandos, they are in the factories and fields producing materials for enabling their country to fight the enemy. The students movement of Bangladesh is holding high its banner of patriotism and are fighting for democracy and national autonomy.
