Morning News
18th February 1966
Mujib Reiterates His Six-Points
Origin Traced To 1940 Lahore Resolution
(By Our Staff Reporter)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, General Secretary, East Pakistan Awami League, said in Dacca yesterday that his six point programme was no new or isolated demand, but is only the continuation of a demand made by his party from time to time.
Addressing a press conference at the Awami League office in the afternoon, Sheikh Mujib said that the demand for full regional autonomy had been included in Awami League manifesto as far back as 1949. This very demand was also one of the 21 points on which the United Front scored a sweeping victory in 1954 and it was on this point that Awami League had not signed the 1956 constitution.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in a firm defence of his six points said, “This time the demand for regional autonomy has been given a definite shape by me”. Describing it as “the only programme under the circumstances”. He said this would alone be able to maintain the oneness and solidarity of the country.
STRENGTH OF UNIT
According to him a strong centre alone could not go to make a strong country. He maintained that strong “federating units” could lend strength to the nation.
Describing the controversy on his six Points as ‘unfortunate’ he reiterated the Lahore Resolution of 1940 and said that the final verdict on Pakistan issue had been given by the Muslims of the then India during the 1940 elections on the basis of that Resolution which provided for a federation of two independent and autonomous states.
Replying to a question he said he was prepared to co-operate with all on the basis of the six-point programme. Asked if the programme was also amendable to modification for acceptance by other parties, he evaded a direct answer and said any improvement on this, like any other improvement, would be welcome.
Replying to a question if he would negotiate with the National Awami Party for the acceptance of his six-point programme, he said “it is NAP’s duty to come forward”.
As for others, he dismissed the possibility of negotiating with those elements who according to him are “either the agents of vested interests of West Pakistan or are the vested interests themselves”.
ECONOMIC PROGRAMME
Asked why his rather elaborate constitutional scheme had no reference to any economic programme, he said that he wanted it to be accepted by all shady of opinion, Lagter replying a question he said his party’s menfesto itself advocated a socialistic economy.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said once the six-point programme was accepted and a non-socialist party came to power he would not mind it, because he believed in democracy.
About his stand with regard to one unit in West Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib advocated a “subfederation” dependent on the wishes or the people. But to him the question of regional autonomy, rather than provincial autonomy was immediately important.
When his attention was drawn to Moulana Muadoodi’s statement that Nawabzada Nasrullah, president of the Awami League had rejected his six-point programme, Sheikh Mujib said the if he did, it was in his individual capacity.
He also contended that East Pakistan Awami League was an autonomous organisation and had its own constitution and mainfesto. True, he said, it was affiliated to the Central Body but was so with its “full autonomous’ of two far-flung wings intervened by a foreign territory of 1500 miles and therefore envisaged a complete scheme of constitutional frame-work in the very resolution itself. Unfortunately not too long after the achievement of Pakistan deviation from the original scheme set in inspite of timely warning against the consequences.
East Pakistan, being politically conscious and far removed from the seat of central administration, agitated from the very beginning for full regional autonomy in its true sense to be able to avert alone any mishap and save the integrity of the country in the event of its complete isolation from the seat of central administration. This prudent forecast has always been dubbed as false fears and promise of all helps out in a rather patronizing tone by those who held sway. But the recent war with India established the truth of our contention. East Pakistan was completely cut off from west Pakistan and for that matter from the whole of the world, during the war and no help could come forth.
সূত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু তৃতীয় খণ্ড: ষাটের দশক॥ দ্বিতীয় পর্ব