lice swoop on an All-Party State Language Action Council rally at Dhaka University Bat Tala on March 16; leads a movement in support of the Dhaka University Class Four employees struggling for re-dressal to the injustice done to them by their employers May 19; arrested once again on September 11.

1949 Released from Jail on 21 January; extends his support to a strike called by the Class Four employees of Dhaka University to press home their demands and fined by the university authorities; arrested again for staging a sit-in strike in front of the vice-chancellor's residence: elected Joint secretary of Awami Muslim League, formed §n June 23. despite his incarceration: released at the end of the month: begins organising agitation programme against prevailing food crisis; detainee! for violating Section 144 and later ireea; raises demand for Chief Minister Nurul Amin s resignation in October and once again arrested along with Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasanl.

1950 Arrested on January 1 while leading an anti-famine procession In Dhaka on the occasion of Pakistan Prime Minister Liaquat All Khans visit to the province and Jailed for two years.

1952 Goes on hunger strike for 17 consecutive days in protest of firing on and killing of students on February 21; moved to Faridpur Jail from Dhaka Jail: released on February 26. .

1953 Elected general secretary of the East Pakistan Awami League at its council session.

1954 Sweeps the Gopalganj constituency in the general elections, beating Muslim League candidate Wahiduzza-man by a margin of 13,000 votes; made minister of forest and agriculture of new provincial government: arrested again after the central government arbitrarily suspends the United Front Cabinet.

1955 elected a member of the legislative assembly; The Awami League puts forth a 21-polnt programme demanding autonomy for East Pakistan; on June 23 the Working Council of the Awami League decides that its members would resign from the legislative assembly if autonomy was not granted to East Pakistan; on October 21 the party dropped the word Muslim from Its name at a special council of the Bangladesh Awami Muslim League, making the party a truly modern and secular one; Bangabandhu was re-elected general secretary oi the party.

1956 Moves a resolution opposing representation of army in the administration; Joins the coalition government, assuming the charge of Industries. Commerce. Labour. Anti-Corruption and Village Aid Ministry.

1957 Resigns from the cabinet In response to a resolution of the party to strengthen the organisation by working for it full-time; goes on an official tour of China and the Soviet Union

1958 Arrested four after President Major General Iskandar Mirza and the chief of Army General Ayub Khan im-

Born on March 17. 1920 in a respectable Muslim 'fartlily of TXingipara. a village in the then Gopalganj sub-division of Faridpur. His parents — Shiekh Lutfar Rahman and Saira Begum — fondly called their third child among four daughters and two sons Khoka.

1927 Starts schooling at Gi-madanga Primary School, moves on to Gopalganj Pubic School two years later before being transferred to a local missionary school.

1934 Serious eye ailment forces a break of study. For treatment of goes to Calcutta with his father and has one of his eyes successfully operated upon.

1937 Returns to school after a four-year break.

1938 Marries Begum Fazi-latunnesa: blessed with three sons - Sheikh Kamal. Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel — and two daughters — Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana.

1939 Leads a group of students at the Gopalganj missionary school, demanding that the cracked roof of the school be repaired during Chief Minister of undivided Bengal Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Huq's visit to the school along with Hussein Shahid Suhrawardy. who later becomes the chief minister of Bengal and eventually the prime minister of Pakistan.

1940 Joins the Nikhil Bharat Muslim Chhatra Federation (All-India Muslim Students Front): elected to a one-year term.

1942 Passes the Entrance (currently Secondary School Certificate) Examinations: takes admission as an Intermediate student in the humanities group of Calcutta Islamia College; gets actively Involved In the movement for creation of Pakistan.

1943 Gets elected as a councillor of the Muslim League.

1944 Takes part in the conference of the All-Bengal Muslim Students League held in Kushtia and plays a key role; elected as secretary of the Faridpur District Association, a Calcutta-based organisation of the residents of Faridpur.

1946 Elected general secretary of Islamia College Students Union.

1947 Obtains Bachelor of Arts degree from Islamia College under Calcutta University; plays a pioneering role in protecting Muslims and trying to quell the violence during the communal riots in the wake of the partition of India and the birth of Pakistan.

1948 Takes admission in the Law Department of Dhaka University: founds the Muslim Students League on January 4; plunges into hectic activities to build a strong movement against the heinous design to make Urdu the only state language of Pakistan; establishes contacts with students and political leaders; his resolution for an All-Party State Language Action wins approval at a meeting of the workers different political parties at Fazlul Huq Hall on March 2; arrested on March 11 along with some coworkers while demonstrating In front of the Secretariat against the conspiracy of the Muslim League government and later released on March 15: calls for a countrywide student I strike on March 17 after the po-

pose and bans politics: freed after 14 months in Jail only to be arrested again from the gate.

1961 Released from jail after he winning a writ petition in the High Court; starts underground political activities against the martial law regime •and dictator Ayub Khan: sets up an underground organisation called Swadhin Banala Biplobi Parishad or Independent Bangla Revolutionary Council, comprising outstanding student leaders in order to work for the independence of Bar ladesh.

1962 Arrested under the Public Security Act on February 6; freed on June 18 following the withdrawal of the four-yearlong martial law on June 2; joins other national leaders to protest the measures introduced by Ayub Khan; goes to Lahore and Join forces with Shaheed Suhrawardy to form the National Democratic Front, an alliance of the opposition parties.

1963 Goes to London for consultations with Suhrawardy, who was there for medical treatment.

1964 Leads a committee to resist communal riots: takes initiative to start a vigorous anti-Ayub movement after the riot: arrested 14 days before the presidential election.

1965 Charged with sedition and making objectionable statements: sentenced to one-year Jail term to be later released on an order of the High Court.

1966 Places his historic six-point demand at the national conference of the opposition parties in Lahore: elected president of the Awami league: tours the entire country to gather support for the six-point demand: arrested eight times in the first three months of the year; on May 8, arrested again after his speech at a rally of Jute mill workers in NarayanganJ.

1968 Charged in the infamous Agartala conspiracy case along with 34 Bengalee military and CSP officers: named accused number one in the case that charged the arrested persons with conspiring to bring about the secession ol East Pakistan from the rest of Pakistan: trial begins on June 19 inside Dhaka Cantonment amidst tight security.

1969 The Central Students Action Council formed on January 5 to press for the acceptance of the 11 -point demand that Included the six-point demand of Bangabandhu. The council initiates a countrywide student agitation to force the government to withdraw the Agartala conspiracy case and release Bangabandhu. The agitation gradually developed into a mass movement. After months of protests, violations of Section 144 and curfews, firing by the police and the EPR and a number of casualties, the movement peaks into an unprecedented mass upsurge that forces Ayub Khan to convene a round-table conference of political leaders and announce Bangabandhu's release on parole. Bangabandhu turns down the offer of release on parole. On 22 February, the central government bowed to the continued mass protests and freed Bangabandhu and the other coaccused. The conspiracy case was withdrawn. Tne Central Student Action Council arranged a reception in honour of

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 23 February at the Race Course (Suhrawardy Uddyan). At this meeting of one million people, Mujib was publicly acclaimed as Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal). Tn his speech on the occasion, Bangabandhu pledged his total support to the 11-point demand of the student.

On 26 February. Bangabandhu Joined the round-table conference called by Ayub Khan in Rawalpindi. At the conference Bangabandhu placed the G-polnt demand of his party and the 11-point demand of the students and said: 'To end the people's anger there is no alternative to the acceptance of the 6-point and 11-point demand and the granting of regional autonomy." When the Pakistani politicians and rulers rejected his demand he left the conference on 13 March. The next day he returned to Dhaka. On 25 March. Gen. Yahya Khan seized flower and imposed martial aw. On 25 October. Bangabandhu went to London on a three-week organisational tour. On 5 December, Bangabandhu declared at a discussion meeting held to observe the death anniversary of Shaheed Suhrawardy that henceforth East Pakistan would be called Bangladesh. He added: -There was a time when all efforts were made to erase the word "Bangla' from this land and its map. The existence of the word" Bangla" was found nowhere except in the term Bay of Bengal. I on behalf of Pakistan announce today that this land will be called' Bangladesh* Instead of 'East Pakistan.'

1970 Bangabandhu was reelected president of the Awami League on 6 January. The Awami League at a meeting of the working committee on 1 April decided to take part in the fgeneral elections scheduled for ater that year. On 7 June. Bangabandhu addressed a public meeting at the Race Course ground and urged the people to elect his party on the issue of the 6-point demand. On 17 October. Bangabandhu selected the boat as his party's election symbol and launched his campaign through an election rally at Dhaka's Dholal Khal. On 28 October, he addressed the nation over radio and television and called upon the people to elect his party's candidates to Implement the 6-polnt demand. When a mighty cyclonic storm hit the coastal belt of Bangladesh, killing at least one million people. Bangabandhu suspended his election campaign and rushed to the aid of the helpless people In the affected areas. He strongly condemned the Pakistani rulers’ Indifference to the cyclone victims and protested against it. He called on the international community to help the people affected by the cyclone. In the general elections heid on 7 December. the Awami League gained an absolute majority. The Awami League secured 167 out of 169 National Assembly seats' In then East Pakistan and gained 305 out of 310 seats In the Provincial Assembly.

1971 On 3 January. Bangabandhu conducted the oath of the people's elected representatives at a meeting at the Race Course ground. The Awami League members took the oath to frame a constitution on the

basis of the 6-point demand and pledged to remain Joyal to the people who had elected them. On 5 January. Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the majority party, the People's Party, in the then West Pakistan, announced his readiness to form a coalition government at the centre with the Awami League. Bangabandhu was chosen as the leader of his party's parliamentary party at a meeting of the National Assembly members elected from his party. On 27 January. Zulfiquar All Bhutto arrived in Dhaka for talks with Bangabandhu. The talks collapsed after three days of deliberations. In an announcement on 13 February, president Yahya Khan summoned the National Assembly to convene in Dhaka on 3 March . On 15 February, Bhutto announced that he would boycott the session and demanded that power be handed over to the majority parties in East Pakistan and West Pakistan. In a statement on 16 February. Bangabandhu bitterly criticised the demand of Bhutto and said. The demand of Bhutto Sahib is totally illogical. Power has to be handed over to the only majority party, the Awami League. The people of East Bengal are now the masters of power."

On 1 March. Yahya Khan abruptly postponed the National Assembly session, prompting a storm of protest and throughout Bangladesh. Bangabandhu called an emergency meeting of the working committee of the Awami League, which called a countrywide hartal for 2 March. After the hartal was successfully observed, Bangabandhu on 3 March called on the President to immediately transfer power to his party.

On 7 March. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a mammoth public rally al the Race Course ground, where he declared: 'THE STRUGGLE NOW IS THE STRUGGLE FOR OUR EMANCIPATION. THE STRUGGLE NOW IS THE STRUGGLE FOR OUR INDEPENDENCE. JOI BANGLA." IN THIS HISTORIC SPEECH. BANGABANDHU URGED THE NATION TO BREAK THE SHACKLES OF SUBJUGATION. AND DECLARED. "SINCE WE HAVE GIVEN BLOOD. WE WILL GIVE MORE BLOOD. GOD WILLING. THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY WILL BE LIBERATED ... TURN EVERY HOUSE INTO A FORT. FACE (THE ENEMY) WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE."

He advised the people to prepare themselves tor a guerrilla war against the enemy. He asked the people to start a total non-co-operation movement against the government of Yahya Khan. Tnere were ineffectual orders from Yahya Khan on the one hand, while the nation. on the other hand received directives from Bangabandhu's Road 32-resldence. The entire nation carried out Bangabandhu's instructions. Every organisation, including government offices, banks, Insurance companies, schools, colleges, mills and factories obeyed Bangabandhu's directives. The response of the people of Bangladesh to Bangaband-hu's call was unparalleled In history. It was Bangabandhu

who conducted the administration of an independent Bangladesh from March 7 to March 25.

On 16 March. Yahya Khan came to Dhaka for talks with Bangabandhu on the transfer of power. Bhutto also came a few days later to Dhaka for talks. The Mujib-Yahya-Bhutto talks continued until 24 March. Yahya Khan left Dhaka in the evening of 25 March in secrecy. On the night of 25 March, the Pakistan army cracked down on the innocent unarmed Ban-galees. They attacked Dhaka University, the Peelkhana Headquarters of the then East Pakistan Rifles and the Ra-Jarbagh-Police Headquarters.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mu-iibur Rahman read out a wireless message, moments after the crackdown began, declaring the independence of Bangladesh as 25 March gave way to 26 March. His declaration was transmitted over wireless to the country:

THIS MAY BE MY LAST MESSAGE. FROM TODAY BANGLADESH IS INDEPENDENT. 1 CALL UPON THE PEOPLE OF BANGLADESH WHEREVER YOU MIGHT BE AND WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE. TO RESIST THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION TO THE LAST. YOUR FIGHT MUST GO ON UNTIL THE LAST SOLDIER OF THE PAKISTAN OCCUPATION ARMY IS EXPELLED FROM THE SOIL OF BANGLADESH. FINAL VICTORY IS OURS."

He called upon all sections of people, including Bangalee military and civilian personnel, students, workers and peasants, to Join the resistance against the occupation Pakistan army. This message of Bangabandhu was immediately disseminated throughout the country through radio equipment under special arrangements. The same night jawans and officers in Chittagong. Comilla and Jes-sore cantonments put up resistance to the Pakistan army after receiving this message. Bangabandhu's declaration was broadcast by Chittagong radio station. The Pakistan army arrested Bangabandhu from his Dhanmondi residence at 1:10 am and whisked him away to Dhaka Cantonment. On 26 March he was flown to Pakistan as a prisoner. The same day. General Yahya Khan. In a broadcast banned the Awami League and called Bangabandhu a traitor.

On 26 March M A Hannan, an Awami League leader in Chittagong, read out Bangabandhu's declaration of independence over Chittagong radio. On 10 April, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Bangladesh was formed with Bangabandhu as President

The revolutionary government took the oath of office on 17 April at the Amrakanan of Baldyanathtala in Meherpur, which is now known as Mujib-nagar. Bangabandhu was elected President. Syed Nazrul Islam acting President and Tajuddin Ahmed Prime Minister. The Liberation War ended on 16 December when the Pakistani occupation forces surrendered at the historic Race Course ground accepting defeat In the glorious war led by the revolutionary government In exile. Bangladesh was finally free.