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Historical Memory Journey

Bangladesh: Era of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Moudud Ahmed

Important insider-political account of the 1972–1975 Mujib years, covering administration, constitution, emergency rule, BAKSAL, and political crisis.

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1970

Bhola Cyclone and the 1970 Election

In late 1970, East Pakistan was shaken first by the catastrophic Bhola cyclone of 12 November and then by Pakistan's first general election under universal adult franchise on 7 December. The cyclone exposed the scale of administrative neglect and regional inequality, while the election gave Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League an overwhelming democratic mandate. Together, the disaster and the denied transfer of power turned long-standing demands for autonomy into an immediate constitutional crisis on the eve of the Liberation War.

1971

Liberation War

The 1971 Liberation War was the final resistance of the people of East Pakistan against long-standing political, economic, and cultural discrimination. After the denial of the people's mandate in the 1970 election and the military crackdown of 25 March, this struggle transformed into an armed war of liberation that led to the birth of independent Bangladesh.

1975

BAKSAL: Formation and Collapse

In 1975, Bangladesh entered a decisive turning point: the transition toward BAKSAL, escalating political centralization, the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August, and the jail killings of 3 November. These events reshaped the state, party politics, and military-civil relations for decades.