Historic 1969 Mass Uprising Day today

Today, January 24, marks the 1969 Mass Uprising Day, a defining moment in Bangladesh’s journey toward independence.

The uprising was a culmination of widespread protests against the authoritarian rule and repression of the Pakistani military government. Students, workers, farmers, and ordinary citizens defied martial law and curfew, taking to the streets across East Pakistan to demand justice, democracy, and the release of political prisoners.

The protests were triggered in part by the police killing of Asaduzzaman Asad on January 20, which ignited public anger. On January 24, a peaceful procession in Dhaka, led by students, was fired upon by police near the Secretariat on Abdul Gani Road, resulting in the death of ninth-grade student Matiur Rahman and several others. Their sacrifice galvanized the movement, turning it into a nationwide mass uprising.

The demonstrations pressured the Pakistani authorities to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other leaders implicated in the Agartala Conspiracy Case. The relentless student-led and public protests ultimately weakened the grip of military ruler Ayub Khan, leading to his resignation and paving the way for the emergence of democratic movements in the region.

Under the leadership of Tofail Ahmed, then Vice President of Dhaka University’s Student Union and chief of the All-Party Student Action Committee, the uprising brought together students, workers, and ordinary citizens in an unprecedented show of unity. Historians consider the 1969 Mass Uprising a key turning point that laid the foundation for Bangladesh’s eventual Liberation War and independence in 1971.

The day is now commemorated annually to honour the courage and sacrifice of the martyrs who inspired generations of Bangladeshis to fight for democracy and freedom.