DHAKA: The historic Six-Point Day, the charter marking the demand of the autonomy for the erstwhile East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, is being observed on Sunday with a befitting manner.

On the occasion, people pay homage to those who laid down their lives on this day 47 years ago for the realization of the six-point demand.
The day began with hoisting national and party flags atop at Awami League (AL) offices across the country and at city's Bangabandhu Bhaban at dawn.

Prime Minister, also AL president, Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at city's Dhanmondi at 6:57am, marking the day.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion of the day, recalling the supreme sacrifices of heroic sons of Bangla for materializing the six-point demand.

The ruling AL, its associate bodies, other political parties and socio-cultural organizations have chalked out various programs to observe the day.

On June 7 in 1966, Awami League under the strong leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for a mass movement against the misrule of Pakistani military rulers on the basis of six-point demand, including the autonomy for the then East Pakistan.

The people of the then East Pakistan observed a dawn-to-dusk-strike across the province spontaneously at the call of AL.

Eleven people, including Manu Mian, Shafique and Shamsul Haque, were gunned down by the police and paramilitary EPR on the day in Dhaka and Narayanganj during the strike. The killings of those people further intensified the movement for autonomy.

BDST: 0932 HRS, JUN 07, 2015
HB/SMS