DHAKA, Jan 23, 2023 (BSS) - The historic 'Mass Upsurge Day', commemorating 
the 1969's movement for autonomy from the then East Pakistan that eventually 
led to the Liberation War and the emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, will be 
observed tomorrow in a befitting manner.

On January 24, 1969 Matiur Rahman Mallik, a standard IX student of the 
Nabakumar Institution, and Rustam Ali, a rickshaw-puller, were killed in a 
police firing on demonstrators in Dhaka as Pakistani rulers desperately tried 
to suppress the popular uprising.

The killings spread intense protests across the country that eventually saw 
the fall of the autocrat Ayub regime.

It is said that the day teaches Bangladeshis the values of democracy and 
protest against oppression.

Different political and socio-cultural organisations have taken separate 
programmes in observance of the day. Bangladesh Awami League will place 
wreaths at Shaheed Matiur Rahman Smiriti Saudha at Nabakumar Institute in 
Bakshibazar at 10am tomorrow. AL General Secretary and Road Transport and 
Bridges minister Obaidul Quader has urged party leaders-workers to join the 
programme maintaining health protocol. 

On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh 
Hasina today issued separate messages, expressing profound respect for those 
who had embraced martyrdom in the historic movement in 1969.

"The January 24 of 1969 is a historic day in the progress of independence and 
democracy of Bangladesh," the President said in his message.

Paying profound homage to the memory of those who were martyred in the 
independence freedom, he said the day has been remembered in the history of 
the country's struggle of independence and freedom movement as the day of 
mass uprising.

Abdul Hamid said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 
declared the historic Six-Point Demand in 1966 to make the Bangalee nation 
free from Pakistani rule, exploitation and deprivation.

The six-point was the charter of Bengalees' freedom, he added. 

He said after the six-point declaration, the speed of the freedom movement 
intensified and it spread all over the East Bengal.

"The joint movement of Awami League as well as various political parties and 
student organisations accelerated the mass movement," the President said, 
adding that the then dictator filed the Agartala conspiracy case to foil the 
movement.

He said breaking curfew, politicians-students-teachers-mass people brought 
out a procession on January 24 in 1969 and demanded the release of 
Bangabandhu and other accused, and overthrow the military rule.

Class-IX student Matiur Rahman was killed in the procession by police firing, 
he said, adding: "The blood of Matiur and other martyrs did not go in vain."

The withdrawal of Agartala conspiracy case, the release of political 
prisoners and President Ayub Khan's power handover due to the mass uprising 
was a milestone in the Bangalees' liberation movement, Abdul Hamid said.

Following the path of this mass upsurge, the independence and democratic 
rights of the people were achieved, he said, stressing the need for working 
together to uphold the independence and democracy.

Abdul Hamid urged all to work together for building a prosperous Bangladesh 
being imbued with the spirit of the 1969 mass uprising.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon all, irrespective of 
party affiliations, to work together for building a modern, developed and 
prosperous nation dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur 
Rahman.

She said the 1969 mass upsurge is a significant chapter in the history of the 
country's independence.

The nation achieved independence following the 1952 Language Movement, Six-
Point Demand, 11-Point Demand, the Mass Upsurge of 1969 and the armed War of 
Liberation, the premier said. "We got an independent-sovereign Bangladesh," 
she added. 

She said the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu 
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared the six-point demand in 1966 to liberate the 
nation from the exploitation of the Pakistani rulers.

To foil the mass movement of Bangalees, she said the Pakistani ruling clique 
had filed the Agartala conspiracy case in 1968 and arrested 35 leaders, 
including Bangabandhu.
 
Recalling all the Bangalees' movements en route to their independence, Sheikh 
Hasina said on January 20 in 1969, police opened fire on a procession of 
students on the street in front of Dhaka Medical College where Asaduzzaman 
was killed and many others were injured.

To make Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib free and oust the Pakistani military rule, 
the struggling mass people brought out a procession on January 24 in 1969, 
avoiding the ruling party's repression and violating evening law, she said.

Matiur Rahman Mallik and Makbul of Nabakumar Institute, Anwar, Rustam, Milon, 
Alamgir and many others were killed in police firing, said the premier. 

In the emergence of mass upsurge, the government of dictator Ayub was forced 
to release Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib and other accused in the so-called 
Agartala conspiracy case, she said.

"As a result of this, Ayub Khan's government fell. The mass uprising of 1969 
against mal-governance and exploitation still inspires us today. The martyrs, 
who sacrificed their lives in the mass 1969 mass upsurge will be remembered 
among the people who love democracy," she added. 

Sheikh Hasina said the Awami League government has continued the country's 
development and progress being imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War. 

During the last 14 years, the government worked relentlessly and achieved 
tremendous success in all areas including socio-economic sector, she said, 
adding: "Now the people even at the grassroots level are enjoying the 
benefits of the development." 

"Bangladesh is now acclaimed as a role model of development globally," she 
said, adding that after implementing MDGs, Bangladesh is on the way of 
implementing SDGs and the country achieved SDG Progress Award. 

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh achieved developing country status. The 
government is working to turn the country into a developed one by 2041 and it 
is also working to implement the Delta Plan by 2100, she continued. 

"With our united efforts, we will build a hunger-poverty free Bangladesh," 
she added.