Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the undisputed leader of the Bengali nation and the Father of the Nation, declared the independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971. This is an established historical fact. Yet, even 55 years later, this fact continues to be debated.
The main reason for this ongoing controversy is clear: those who refuse to recognize Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation and deny his indelible contribution to Bangladesh’s independence continue to challenge this historical fact. Their objective is obvious: to diminish and disrespect Bangabandhu’s towering leadership.
Let us revisit the context in which this great leader declared the independence of the Bengali nation. On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani military launched a sudden genocidal operation, codenamed “Operation Searchlight,” targeting unarmed Bengalis. On that same night, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Lion of Bengal, was arrested. Before his arrest, in the early hours of March 26, he declared Bangladesh’s independence in Dhaka. This declaration was broadcast both nationally and internationally. Despite the Awami League winning a landslide victory in the 1970 general elections, the Pakistani military refused to transfer power to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and instead began killing Bengali civilians, political leaders, and intellectuals across East Pakistan.
Before being taken from his residence in Dhanmondi, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman urged the nation to resist the enemy at all costs. His declaration was transmitted via wireless and spread across the country and abroad. Due to security concerns, no official document of this declaration could be preserved at that moment. Later, the declaration was formally included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Using the EPR transmitter, the announcement reached every corner of the country. On March 26, it was broadcast from the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in Chattogram by senior Awami League leader M. A. Hannan, and on March 27, Major Ziaur Rahman of the East Bengal Regiment read the
declaration on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The text of Bangabandhu’s historic proclamation read:
“This may be our last message. From today, Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh, wherever you are, with whatever you have, to stand firm and resist the occupation forces with full strength. Continue the struggle until the last soldier of the Pakistani army is expelled and final victory is achieved. – Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, March 26, 1971.”
The full details of this proclamation were published in the Bangladesh Documents by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The declaration stated: “This may be my last message to you. From today, Bangladesh is a free country. I urge you, wherever you are, and with whatever resources you have, resist the occupying Pakistani forces until the very end.
Continue the struggle until the last soldier of the occupying army is expelled from Bangladesh and final victory is achieved.”
From March 26, 1971, to August 1975, there was no debate anywhere in Bangladesh or globally about this declaration. The world unanimously recognized Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the one who declared Bangladesh’s independence in the early hours of March 26. Even during military rule, Ziaur Rahman never claimed involvement in the declaration. Later, when he founded the BNP and briefly served in civilian rule, there is no record of him claiming to have declared independence.
Furthermore, in 1972, in a column published in the then-weekly Bichitra, it was clearly mentioned that Bangabandhu’s fiery speech on March 7, 1971, at the Dhaka Racecourse Maidan, which included the line “This struggle is for our liberation; this struggle is for our independence,” served as a green signal for independence.
From 1972 until his death in 1981, Ziaur Rahman never claimed to have declared Bangladesh’s independence. Later, BNP propagated the narrative that Major Zia was the declarer of independence.
Veteran Awami League leader and legendary freedom fighter Tofail Ahmed wrote in the Daily Star (March 25, 2023): Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gained political legitimacy to declare independence only after winning an outright majority. In his historic March 7 speech, he conveyed his message carefully. He always wanted to be attacked but never to attack first. So, when the Pakistani army began its genocidal operation on March 25 at zero hour, Bangabandhu declared independence in the early hours of March 26, in line with prior preparations.
As recounted by Siddique Salik, General Niazi’s public relations officer, in Witness to Surrender:
“When the first shot had been fired, the voice of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came faintly through on a wavelength close to the official Pakistan Radio. In what must have been, and sounded like, a pre-recorded message, the Sheikh proclaimed East Pakistan to be the ‘People’s Republic of Bangladesh.’ It said, ‘This may be my last message. From today, Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh, wherever you are 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 and final victory is achieved.’” (p. 75)
To reach such a historic declaration, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman spent 24 years organizing the Bengali people through disciplined political movements, conducting step-by-step strategies for national liberation, gaining popular mandate, countering all conspiracies of the ruling elite, and preparing a resilient force capable of enduring imprisonment, torture, and execution. It did not happen overnight. Through the sacrifices of countless individuals, the Bengali nation ultimately recognized Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s declaration of independence.
The declaration made in the early hours of March 26, 1971, was later formally validated in Article 6 of the Independence Declaration adopted by the Bangladesh Constituent Assembly in Mujibnagar on April 10, 1971. It was broadcast repeatedly from Chattogram Betar by M. A. Hannan at 1:30 PM on March 26. There is no record of Ziaur Rahman issuing any declaration on March 26. Even during his rule, the 15-volume Documents of the Bangladesh Liberation War edited by Mofizullah Kabir and Hasan Hafizur Rahman clearly states that Ziaur Rahman read the declaration on March 27 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
However, the war had already begun on March 26. Generals Shafiullah, Khaled Mosharraf, and Major Rafiq had already taken sides and engaged in combat. Therefore, claims that Zia declared independence on March 26 are false.
Yahya Khan, in his March 26 address, mentioned Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, stating: “About a week ago, I should have acted against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his followers… because he tried to trap me with certain conditions. He attacked the independence and sovereignty of the country. This crime cannot go unpunished.” Even a minor officer was tried in absentia to show the regime’s vindictiveness.
Referring to Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 speech at the Racecourse Maidan, Tofail Ahmed said: “March 7 was the most awaited day in Bengali history. It was Sunday. Revolutionary Bengal was aflame. When Bangabandhu began his speech with ‘My brothers,’ the sea of people fell silent. His closing words, ‘This struggle is for our liberation; this struggle is for our independence,’ were effectively the declaration of independence for the brave Bengalis.”
After nine months of bloody war, a new state emerged on the world map on December 16, 1971, named Bangladesh. In 1971, the newly independent Bangladesh had an annual budget of only 78.6 crore Taka. Today, it has grown to 6,78,064 crore Taka. Per capita income has risen from $129 then to $2,961 today.
Time has passed, and Bangladesh has progressed along with the world. The country has achieved visible growth in per capita income, infrastructure, health, education, private investment, domestic production, foreign trade, technology adoption, and resource generation. Once labeled a “bottomless basket,” Bangladesh now ranks among developing nations.
Economic growth, health, education, women’s empowerment, and social indicators have all improved. Behind these achievements, the most significant contributor remains Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Yet tragically, this great leader was assassinated barely three and a half years after independence. The fearless freedom fighters had taken up arms following his declaration and achieved victory after nine months of bloodshed. Yet, even today, there is controversy over this declaration—an unfortunate debate with no end in sight.
Bangabandhu means Bangladesh. He is not the sole property of any party; he belongs to the Bengali nation. Denying him is denying Bangladesh, its independence, and its history. Honoring him is honoring the nation and its freedom.
As Bangladesh celebrates its 56th Independence Day, let us, beyond party lines, pay homage to the nation’s great leader and guardian, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the three million martyrs. Let us remember their supreme sacrifices and recommit ourselves to building the prosperous, hunger-free, and inclusive Bangladesh they envisioned.
Author: Sajjad Hossain Sabuj, Senior journalist and former Press Minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C.
