C T Online Desk: March 23, 1971 is a significant day in Bangladesh’s history as on this day, Bangalis hoisted the green and red flag almost everywhere as Pakistan celebrated its national day, “Pakistan Day”.
The people of Pakistan celebrate March 23 as on this day in 1956, the country adopted the first Constitution of Pakistan to transition from Dominion of Pakistan to Islamic Republic of Pakistan as the world’s first Islamic republic.
The day also celebrates the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the Muslim League, which was imperative to the creation of an independent sovereign state from the provinces with Muslim majorities located in the North-West and East of British India in the 1940s.
However, on this day in 1971, when people in West Pakistan were celebrating their national day, the then East Pakistan was raring to become a new country with a new flag and a map.
Dhaka on the day was a city of green and red flags, except for the President’s House, Governor House, Cantonment, and Airport.
The Pakistani crescent-and-star flag was missing everywhere, replaced by the new flag of Bangladesh.
Hotel Intercontinental also hoisted the new Bangladeshi flag. It was where Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, was staying for talks with President Yahya Khan and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In the beginning of the day, the members of Awami League Shwecchashebok Bahini hoisted the flag at Bangabandhu’s residence while singing “Joy Bangla, Banglar Joy”.
Jahanara Imam, popularly known as “Shaheed Janani” (mother of martyrs), wrote in her book: “Today is the day of resistance. Very early in the morning, everyone in our house went to the roof and hoisted another flag of Bangladesh next to the black flag (which was flown from before to protest the Pakistani oppression). It was an exciting moment.”
The day was a general holiday. The Chattra Sangram Parishad arranged a military parade at the Paltan Maidan and hoisted the flag while singing “Amar Sonar Bangla” in a festive manner.
Thousands of people with the new flag of Bangladesh came to the Dhanmondi residence of Bangbabandhu to give a nod to the Bangladesh leader’s to struggle to achieve a new country for them.
