The Six-Point Movement: The Charter of Emancipation.
The Six-Point Movement was a political campaign initiated by Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman in 1966 to demand greater autonomy for East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) within the
framework of Pakistan. The practical experience of the 1965 Indo-Pak war and the gross
neglect of East Pakistan in the political, economic and military system intensified Bengal's
demand for autonomy. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself, called the six-point program a
charter for the liberation of the general public of Bengal and a sure step to establish the rights
of Bengal. While raising the demand, he referred to it as 'the six-point program demanding
our survival.
The Six-point Movement Background:
The central government's colonial attitude towards the eastern region since the creation of
the state of Pakistan in 1947, underestimating the people, discriminatory policies in the
economic field, neglecting the military, etc. justified the six-point demand.
1. Political Background:
In 1959, Ayub Khan introduced an undemocratic system called ‘Basic Democracy’ that
took away the voting rights of the people of Bengal and staged a farce in the name of
elections in 1960 and 1965. In addition, during the Indo-Pak war in 1965, East Pakistan's
communication with the Center was severed for a long time and the eastern region
became completely defenceless from the military point of view. In this situation, Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman demanded autonomy for East Pakistan by raising the historic 6-point demand.
Dr. Prithikumar Mitra wrote in the article entitled 'History of Bangladesh Liberation Struggle
1958-1966' that after 1947, “the movement of political parties and student
organisations made the countrymen aware of their rights.”
2. Administrative Background:
Participation of East Pakistanis at all levels, from officers to fourth-class employees, was
negligible. Pakistani political scientist Hasan Ashkari Rizvi has shown based on a statistic
that only 22 of the total 62 ministers during the Ayub era were Bengalis who did not have the
responsibility of any important ministry. As a result, the locals had little role in
formulating any plans for East Pakistan. That is why the demand for autonomy and limited
power of the central government and increasing the power of the regional
government was raised in 6 points.
3. Economic Background:
In the case of export trade till 1960, 60% of the total income came from the eastern
region. In the Second Five Year Plan, measures taken to reduce inequality were Rs 190
per capita in East Pakistan and Rs 292 in West Pakistan. From 1960-61 to 1964-65, East
Pakistan spent Rs 970 crore on economic development and West Pakistan Rs 2,150 crore.
In the context of such discriminatory policies and exploitation, 6 points were raised by
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
4. Military Background:
Pakistan's military, naval and air force headquarters were
located in West Pakistan. The most touching point is that during the Indo-Pak war in
1965, East Pakistan was almost militarily undefended. There was no force in the east to
resist a possible Indian invasion. Sheikh Mujib himself commented, that after this war,
the question of autonomy became urgent. Therefore, the demand for the formation of
regional paramilitary forces was raised to 6 points.
The Six Points Clauses:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formulated the historic 6-point demand for the autonomy of
East Pakistan and tried to raise it at the Pakistan National Conference in Lahore on
February 13, 1966. Failing to raise 6-point demands, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman preached his 6-
points in a press conference and returned home. When 6 points were formally raised in the
working committee of Awami League on February 21, it was immediately accepted.
The six clauses were:
Constitutional Structure and State Nature (1st Clause):
Pakistan should be formed as a real United States by formulating a system of
governance on the basis of the Historic Lahore Resolution. The government of this
United States will be parliamentary. The central and provincial legislatures, consisting
of representatives elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage, would be sovereign.
Powers of the Central Government (2nd Clause):
National defence and foreign policy will be in the hands of the United States
(central) government. All remaining matters will be in the hands of the states.
Currency and Financial System (3rd Clause):
In this phase, two options for the monetary system of the country were mentioned:
a. Two easily exchangeable currencies will be in place for the two regions
of the country. In this system, there will be two independent state banks
in the two regions to keep track of currency transactions and the power to manage the
currency and banks will be in the hands of the regional governments. or
b. The two regions would have the same currency, but the regime would
have to ensure that money and capital from one region could not be
smuggled into the other. In this arrangement, there will be one Federal
Reserve Bank in Pakistan and two separate Reserve Banks for the two regions.
Revenue, Taxes and Duties Powers (4th Clause):
The power of levy and collection of all types of taxes, duties and taxes shall rest
with the regional government. A certain portion of the money collected by the regional
governments will be immediately credited to the federal fund. The regime will have
provisions for the Reserve Banks in this regard.
Foreign Exchange and Trade (5th Clause):
The provinces will have complete control over trade. With respect to foreign trade and
aid, the provinces shall meet the foreign exchange requirements of the United States
government at a reasonable rate.
The Defense (6th Clause): Provinces will be empowered to form and operate
paramilitary forces or regional
armies under their own authority as an effective measure to safeguard regional integration
and national security.
Development of Six-point based Movement:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called the six points 'our demand for survival'. Meanwhile,
seeing the strength of the six-point movement, President Ayub Khan visited East Pakistan in
1966 and called the six points conspiratorial. Awami League chief Sheikh Mujibur and many
other leaders and activists were arrested. A nationwide strike was called on 7 June 1966 in
protest against the torture and arrests where many people lost their lives in police firing in
Dhaka, Narayanganj and others. To thwart the Six-Point Movement, the government filed
a false case called the 'Agartala Conspiracy Case' against Sheikh Mujib, the author of the Six-
Point Movement, and 34 others at the end of 1968 and arrested them. After that, the Six-
Point Movement stagnated
for a few days, but it started to gain momentum again from November to December 1968.
When the 11-point movement of students was formed in January 1969, the anti-
Ayub movement in East Pakistan regained its intensity.
The Charter of Emancipation:
In the context of the movement for autonomy and independence of East Pakistan, the
importance of the Six-Point Movement was immense. Each of its points was significant
and that is why the Six-Point Demand was referred to as an 'important document'.
Demand for Economic Freedom: West Pakistan had been exploiting the eastern
economy by smuggling wealth,
restricting economic activities and misusing the same currency advantages. From 1960-61
to 1964-65, the Central Government spent Rs 970 crore on economic development in East
Pakistan and Rs 2,150 crore in West Pakistan. Thus, the 3rd , 4 th and 5th clauses demanded
for economic reforms. They highlighted the currency and financial system; Revenue, Tax and
Duties Powers; and Foreign Exchange respectively. The 3rd Clause mentioned
separate currency into a federal government which can’t be executed due to it will
weaken the structure of the government.
Demand for Military Security:
Pakistan's military, naval and air force headquarters were located in West Pakistan.
The most touching point is that during the Indo-Pak war in 1965, East Pakistan was
almost militarily undefended. There was no force in the east to resist a possible Indian
invasion. The 6th clause demanded to form and operate paramilitary forces or regional
armies under East Pakistan’s own authority. If a regional army was formed under its own
authority, it would after a certain time work against the central command as was
witnessed in 1971 when East Pakistani soldiers started not to follow central command.
Demands for Autonomy:
The Governance, from officers to fourth-class employees positions, was dominated
by West Pakistani people resulting in the locals having little role in formulating any plans
for East Pakistan. The 1st and 2nd clauses demanded the parliamentary federal government
and full freedom regarding internal affairs respectively for the provinces. In fact, it was
through the six phases that East Bengal was identified as a separate region and demanded
greater autonomy.
The Final Start-UP:
The Pakistani government misinterpreted and termed the Bengalis as separatists. The
ruling group became active in destroying the autonomy of the Bengali nation. Sheikh
Mujib was arrested and in 1969, the Bengali nation became more united that overthrew
Ayub Khan. In 1970, the election was held and in the next year, freedom came into being.
Thus, the 6-Ponit movement is mentioned as the final start-up to be an independent Nation.
Evaluation of Six-point Charter:
On February 13, 1966, the Pakistani press, President Ayub Khan and his fellow exploiters
began to call the six points a tool to break Pakistan and Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman a conspirator. The first and second points were the demands for autonomy for
East Pakistan, and the sixth point was the demand to ensure regional security.
Dr. G. W. Chowdhury Commented,
Under the Mujibi Six Point Plan, the Centre was reduced to a paper centre with
no authority over the country's fiscal, monetary and budgetary policies or their
implementation…. Therefore, Mujib's Six Point Plan was nothing more than a
veiled plan for separation.
However, political scientist Abdul Odud Bhuiyan has said, "The Six Point Demand was
never a demand for the separation of East Pakistan from Pakistan."
It is true, that there was no mention of the breakup of Pakistan or the separation of
East Pakistan from Pakistan anywhere in the six points, nor did Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the
author of the proposal, ever declare separation from Pakistan. But, the third, fourth and fifth
points demanded economic reforms including separate currency and reserve banks. These
demands in the long term can be well organized under a federal government, even in March
1971, Pakistani Leaders tried to convince Mujib to customize these clauses. Thus, it may be
concluded that in 1966 it was primarily the demand for autonomy but in 1971 it became the
charter of Bengali’s Emancipation.
