1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello Again. I'm Eves and you're listening to 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class, a show where we dropped 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: history knowledge every single day. Today is March seventh. The 5 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: day was March seventh. Nineteen seventy one, Sikh mujibard Rahman, 6 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: the founding father of Bangladesh, gave a speech to more 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: than two million people in Dhaka. In his speech, he 8 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: called for a struggle for independence and encouraged Bengali people 9 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: to prepare for war. Less than three weeks later, the 10 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: Bangladesh Liberation War began. In nineteen seven, British India was 11 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 1: split into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: The Dominion of Pakistan, which included much of present day 13 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: Pakistan and Bangladesh, was split into West Kistan and East Pakistan. 14 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: Though East Pakistan was home to more than half the population, 15 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: West Pakistan was still more politically and economically powerful. East 16 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: Pakistan's Awami Muslim League, established in Dhaka in nineteen forty nine, 17 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: supported independence from West Pakistan. In February of nineteen fifty six, 18 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: the Pakistan Constituent Assembly approved a new constitution, establishing a 19 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,839 Speaker 1: Pakistani Republic. The next month, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 20 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: was formally established. Ayu Khan, president of Pakistan from nineteen 21 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: fifty eight to nineteen sixty nine, denounced the autonomy movement 22 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: in East Pakistan. Under his rule, government police killed many 23 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: demonstrators in East Pakistan. Shik mujibar raman leader of the 24 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: Awami League, was arrested a couple of times. He was 25 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: released in nineteen sixty nine. As widespread protests and political 26 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: violence continued in East Pakistan, but legislative elections were held 27 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: in December of nineteen seventy. The Awami League won one 28 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty seven out of three hundred and thirteen 29 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: seats in the Pakistani National Assembly. The Awami League also 30 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: won two hundred and eighty eight out of three hundred 31 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: seats in a legislative Assembly of East Pakistan, but the 32 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: president at the time, Yahya Khan, and military leaders refused 33 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: to hand over power and postponed the opening of the 34 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: National Assembly. This ignited more political tension and violence. A 35 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: civil war was on the horizon. People called for Sheik 36 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: Mujib to declare independence from Pakistan, so on March seventh, 37 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy one, the Awami League hosted a gathering of 38 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: millions of people at docca's Ramna Race course, and the 39 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: speech that Sheik Mujib gave at the gathering. He encouraged 40 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: people to launch a struggle against the Pakistani rulers and 41 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: announced a civil disobedience movement. Audio and video of the 42 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,279 Speaker 1: speech were recorded. In the nineteen minutes speech, he effectively 43 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: declared Bangladesh's independence. On March, President Yahya Khan declared a 44 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: state of emergency in East Pakistan. The next day, government 45 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: troops from West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight, a military operation 46 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: against Bengali nationalists in East Pakistan. Sheik Mujib was arrested 47 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 1: that day and Bengali nationalists formed a liberation army to 48 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: fight Pakistani troops. The Bangladesh Liberation War ended in December 49 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: of nineteen when Pakistan surrendered. In Bangladesh formerly won its 50 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: independence from West Pakistan. Death toll estimates reigned from the 51 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: hundreds of thousands to the millions. In October of seventeen, 52 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: UNESCO added the speech to the Memory of the World Register, 53 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: a collection of documentary heritage, in its nomination form for 54 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: the Memory of the world of register. The speech was 55 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: described as a quote faithful documentation of how the failure 56 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: of post colonial nation states to develop inclusive democratic society 57 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: alienates their population belonging to different ethnic, cultural, linguistic or 58 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: religious groups. I'm Eve Chef Coote and hopefully you know 59 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 60 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: You can keep up with us on social media on Twitter, Facebook, 61 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: and Instagram at t d i h C Podcast, or 62 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: if you would prefer to email us, you can send 63 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: us a message at this day at I heart media 64 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: dot com. Thanks again for listening. We'll see the same 65 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: place tomorrow. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit 66 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 67 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.