Sarbadaliya Chhatra Sangram Parishad () was a student organisation which played a pivotal role in the political history of

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

, then known as

East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...

. Formed amidst the backdrop of civil unrest and political dissatisfaction, this student-led organization became the voice of a burgeoning movement demanding greater autonomy for East Pakistan. Their activism was instrumental in the mass uprising of 1969, which not only challenged the military regime of

Ayub Khan Mohammad Ayub Khan (14 May 1907 – 19 April 1974) was a Pakistani military dictator who served as the second president of Pakistan from 1958 until his resignation on 1969. He was the first native commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, se ...

but also ignited the call for democracy. The efforts of these students were a significant precursor to the eventual independence of Bangladesh, highlighting the power of collective action and the impact of youth in shaping the course of a nation's history.

History

Sarbadaliya Chhatra Sangram Parishad was formed on 4 January 1969. It was formed through the joining of the East Pakistan Student Union (Matia), East Pakistan Chhatra League, East Pakistan Student Union (Menon), and student leaders of Dhaka University Student Union. The Parishad created an Eleven Points Programme that was based on the 1965 Six Point program of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League. The Parishad was based in the University of Dhaka and it became the principal political entity of East Pakistan. The Parishad spread to different universities in East Pakistan. The Parishad called a meeting on 17 January despite the Police placing

section 144 Unlawful assembly is a legal term to describe a group of people with the mutual intent of deliberate disturbance of the peace. If the group is about to start an act of disturbance, it is termed a rout; if the disturbance is commenced, it is then t ...

. The police and students clashed in the streets which injured many students and an EPR bus was burned down. The Parishad called a strike on 20 January throughout the province.

Amanullah Asaduzzaman Amanullah Mohammad Asaduzzaman (known as Asad; 10 June 1942 – 20 January 1969) was an East Pakistani student activist whose death at the hands of police during a protest on 20 January 1969 "changed the nature of the student-mass movement and& ...

, a student, was killed by police firing in the strike. The Parishad in response called strikes and processions from 21 to 24 January. On 24 January, clashes took place throughout the province between strikers and police personal. Two protesters were killed in Mymensingh due to police action. Many were injured throughout the province.

Matiur Rahman Mallik Matiur Rahman Mallik (24 January 1953 – 24 January 1969) was a Pakistani Bengali national activist. He was killed by the Pakistani police during 1969 uprising in East Pakistan. He received the Independence Day Award from the Government of Ba ...

, a class nine student of

Nabakumar Institution Nabakumar Institution is a historical education institute in Bakshi Bazar of Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. History Nabakumar Institution was established in 1916 by a zamindar called Nabakumar. It was operated as a school though it was named an institu ...

, and Rustam Ali were killed in Dhaka. 61 activists were killed in the protests. The student league formed Kendriya Chhatra Sangram Parishad on 12 January 1970 thus ending Sarbadaliya Chhatra Sangram Parishad. Its protest stopped the Agartala conspiracy trial and forced the Pakistan government to release

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...

Legacy

The movement laid down the foundation for

Awami League The Awami League, officially known as Bangladesh Awami League, is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, the party played the leading role in achievin ...

to win the

1970 Pakistani general election General elections were held in Pakistan on 7 December 1970 to elect members of the National Assembly. They were the first direct general elections since the independence of Pakistan and ultimately the only ones held prior to the independence o ...

and the start of

Bangladesh War of Independence The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...

References

{{reflist Independence of Bangladesh 1969 establishments in East Pakistan Causes and prelude of the Bangladesh Liberation War 1969 in East Pakistan