4. The East Pakistan Youth League workers of Dacca also held a secret meeting on 27-1-61 to discuss the observance of the Day’ in a befitting manner and decided interalia to approach students for the decoration of 'Shahid Minar' and also to approach the local Bengali and English papers to publish supplements in observance of the ‘Day’.
5. The papers were accordingly approached but they declined to issue any supplement. The Daily ‘Ittefaq’ and Sangbad’, however, came out with editorials. The latter also published a picture of the incomplete ‘Shaheed Minar’. The Pakistan Observer, the Ittefaq and the Sangbad formally closed their offices for the day but arranged to issue the paper on the following morning.
6. As East Pakistan Students’ Union (EPSU) holds a predominant position in the Dacca University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) and different Halls, its supporters look the lead in the matter of preparation for the observance of the 'Day'.
7. The EPSU workers of Dacca University held a secret meeting on 1st February 1961 to chalk out the programme. It was decided to convene a general meeting of the Vice-Presidents and General Secretaries of DUCSU and other Hall Unions and as well as of the representatives of different educational institutions of Dacca to take a final decision on a proposed programme to print pamphlets and posters, take out Probhat Pheri, place wreaths on the graves, submit a memorandum to the Chancellor for the completion of ‘Shaheed Minar’ and making Bengali the medium of instruction and arrange cultural shows in the evening.
8. Accordingly, on 8th February 1961 a meeting of the student representatives was held in the DUCSU office with Jahan Ara Akhtar (EPSU), Vice-President, DUCSU in the chair. The meeting thus also included the few representatives belonging to the rightist groups, viz. NSF. SF and EPSL, though the majority were from EPSU. The meeting decided to observe ‘Shahid Day’ in a befitting manner, to issuc a press statement under the signatures of V.Ps. and G.Ss. of various IIalls of Dacca University, urging upon the students to observe the 'Day', to urge upon the Govt. to declare 21st February as a Govt. holiday, to complete the construction of 'Shahid Minar and to introduce Bengali in all spheres of national life and administration.
A detailed programme was also chalked out for the observance of the 'Day' including Probhat Pheri in small groups, visit to the graveyard and placing of wreaths on Central Shahid Minar. It was published in the press on the following day (9-2-61).
Publicity was also given by widely distributed printed leaflets. A few anonymous manuscript posters in Bengali urging observance of Shaheed Day in a befitting manner were also found pasted on the Notice Boards of Jagannath College, Curzon Hall, on the University gate and near the auditorium of Dacca Hall. Another poster urging completion of the Shaheed Minar was also found pasted on the wall of National Bank building in Ramna area.
9. In pursuance of the programme, the students had assembled at dawn on 21-2-61 in their respective Halls and institutions to offer prayer for the souls of those who lost their
