Rajshahi turned volatile from early March in 1971

RAJSHAHI, Mar 08: The overall situation in the divisional city of Rajshahi became volatile with the spontaneous protest of general masses from initial stage of March in 1971 when the then Pakistani rulers had postponed the scheduled March 3 session of National Assembly.
Recalling his memory about the situation of that time, valiant Freedom Fighter Dr Abdul Mannan said thousands of people came out on the streets spontaneously under the banner of Sarbadaliyo Chhatra Sangram Parishad and Shramik Sangram Parishad.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman rejected cancellation of the scheduled parliament session from March 3 and called strike on March 2 in Dhaka and on March 3 throughout the country.
"The people demonstrated their protest and demanded immediate handover of power to Awami League, the party which secured great majority in 1970 general election," he said.
Former Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Prof Saidur Rahman Khan said postponement of the scheduled parliament session by the Pakistani ruler, as part of a heinous conspiracy, instantly turned the Rajshahi people revolutionary since the beginning of March in 1971 with spontaneous protest of the common people.
Public and private offices and business activities came into a total halt, academic activities of the educational institutions were suspended while production in mills and factories throughout the city remained stopped for an indefinite period.
It was part of a spontaneous protest that turned the city into a place of fierce movement and demonstrations.
Total general strike was observed in the city paralyzing the civic lives and business activities.
To gear up the movement by cashing the hit generated in the political field, cross-section of freedom- loving people took out a series of processions on eight-kilometer road from Rajshahi University Rajshahi court breaking curfew on March 3 in conformity with the central programmes.
Another former Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Prof Abdul Kkaleque said the Independence-seeker Bangalees paraded the city streets here chanting slogans 'Jago Jago Bangalee Jago', 'Beer Bangalee astro Dhoro, Bangladesh Swadheen koro'.
At around 11.30 am on the same, the then occupation forces from the adjacent Telephone Exchange Building opened fire targeting a procession in Ranibazar area killing at least one person and injuring many others.
The brutal attack and killing of innocent people had fuelled fiery minds of the protesting people and the movement got new momentum with more vigorous protest at city's most of the parts and district.
During the Liberation War, Rajshahi witnessed both great atrocities by the Pakistan army and heroic struggles by the freedom fighters.
The largest mass grave in Bangladesh is located in Rajshahi University, which was used as Pakistani army camp during the Liberation War of 1971.    -BSS