KHULNA, March 6, 2022 (BSS) - Khulna city turned into a living volcano
from March 1 in 1971 as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was virtually
running the country from Road No-32 of Dhanmondi in Dhaka when the then
Pakistan president Yahia Khan's rule became irrelevant to the Bangalees in
the East Pakistan.

     While describing the situation of Khulna during the period, Sheikh
Quamruzzaman Tuku, Commander of Mujib Bahini (BLF) during Liberation War,
told BSS that they took mental preparation to form Khulna Chhatra Sangram
Parishad (CSP) as per the directive received from the central leaders of
Shwadhin Bangladesh Chhatra Sangram Parishad.

     "Thousands of people took to the streets in the city chanting slogans
against the Pakistani centrists, demanding handing over of power to
Bangabandhu. Leader of the majority party Awami League, which won the highest
number of seats in the National Assembly during the 1970 polls," he said.

     Tuku said an eight-member convening committee was formed at a meeting
held at Shaheed Hadis Park led by Chhatra League leader S M Babar Ali.
Humayun Kabir Balu was nominated the joint convener while Sheikh Abdul
Quyaum, Haider Gazi Salauddin Runu, Hekmot Ali Bhuyian, Abul Kashem, Sirajul
Haque Fakir and Mahbub Alam Hiron were nominated members of the committee.

     Also the Chairman of Bagerhat Zila Parishad, Tuku said senior Awami
League leaders were then guiding the committee members to launch non-
cooperation movement against the Pakistani rulers in the Khulna region.

     "Public and private offices as well as business activities came to a
complete halt while the educational institutions suspended academic
activities to join the non-cooperation movement against the Pakistani rule',
he said.

     Both public and private jute mills as well as other industries including
shrimp factories in the region remained off from production.

     To gear up the movement, Khulna Chhatra Sangram Parishad took a bold
decision to hoist the flag of independent Bangladesh in the morning on March
23, 1971 at Shaheed Hadis Park.

     Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life under the banner
of CSP joined the flag hoisting ceremony.

     Meanwhile, CSP followed the decision of central leaders and observed
hartal, blockade, rally and protest procession.

     Different political parties including labour and student organizations
expressed their solidarity with all CSP programmes.

     In the industrial belts of Khalishpur and Daulatpur areas, the workers
played a very vital role in carrying forward the non-cooperation movement.

     "I looked after all the movements in this zone since the 1966 six point
movement of Bangabandhu", he said.

     At that time, Tuku said, Khulna was divided into 12 Unions and Zones and
the freedom movement was being led by 12 conveners of CSP as per the
directive of Khulna central CSP.

     "Khulna Betar Kendra and Desher Dak, a weekly newspaper, published by
Lutfar Rahman Zahangir played a vital role to mould the public opinion at
that time," said veteran Freedom Fighter and joint convener of CSP S M Babar
Ali.

     Babar, also the former chairman of Paikgachha upazila parishad, told BSS
that the freedom loving people attended all CSP programmes, set ablaze the
Pakistani flags elsewhere and showed their mental preparation to say goodbye
to Pakistan for an independent Bangladesh.

     Recalling the history of the mass movement of March in 1971, Babar
became emotional while saying that Hadis, an employee of a laundry shop, was
the first martyr (Shaheed) in Khulna before the start of the War of
Liberation.

     Hadis was killed and 50 others were injured when the Pakistan police
opened fire on a procession of CSP that paraded from Bangladesh Bank
intersection to the then Gandhi park in the first week of March.

     "At a meeting, it was decided that the park should be named after the
first martyr of Khulna. Ultimately, the park has been named as Shaheed Hadis
Park," Babar said.

     Awami League used to hold meetings at this park every day afternoon
after the killing of Hadis. All latest news along with directives about the
non-cooperation movement was circulated from the park everyday at that time.