2. Presenting Contain :
The speech of Khwaja Nazimuddin in 26 January
Formation of Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod
Students strike on 4 February 1952
Section 144 issued
To break section 144 by holding meetings in different halls.
Police opened fire on rallies
3. The speech of Khwaja Nazimuddin in
26 January
In January 1952, Prime Minister Nazimuddin publicly announced in Dacca's meeting
that: Jinnah had been right: for the sake of Pakistan's national unity, Urdu must be
the official language of Pakistan–East and West.
4. Formation of Shorbodolio Kendrio
Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod
On 31 January, the Shorbodolio
Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi
Porishod (All-Party Central
Language Action Committee)
was formed in a meeting at the
Bar Library Hall of the
University of Dhaka, chaired
by Maulana Bhashani
The Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod held protest
meetings.
5. Students strike on 4 February 1952
On 4 February 1952, around 11 O'clock in the morning, a huge number of students from
Dhaka University and other institutions gathered on the university premises. Presided by
Gaziul Haq, the students contemplated demonstrating in the city against the language
issue. At one point, Abdul Matin, convenor of Dhaka University State Language
Committee, intervened to ask the students if they were willing to go for a demonstration.
The answer was a resounding 'Yes'. Soon a procession of young students were led by
Gaziul Haq and Abdul Matin through Nawabpur Road, Dhaka, and passed by official
homes of the vice chancellor and the chief minister. They warned the government to
withdraw its proposal to write Bengali in Arabic script, and insisted on the recognition of
Bengali.
This strike on 4th February was also observed in other towns and cities such as
Chittagong, Mymensingh, Comilla and Narayanganj.
6. Section 144 issued
The 21st February demonstrations were underway, the Muslim League government
suddenly imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the city of Dhaka for 30
days. This meant there was a ban on processions, demonstrations and gatherings of more
than four people in any public place or thoroughfare in the city.
7. To break section 144 by holding
meetings in different halls.
Students of Dhaka University decided to break section 144 by holding meetings in
different halls.
8. Police opened fire on rallies
To demolish the protest, the government of
Pakistan outlawed public meeting and rallies.
The students of the University of Dhaka, with the
support of the general public, arranged massive
rallies and meetings. On 21 February 1952,
police opened fire on rallies. Abdus Salam, Abul
Barkat, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul
Jabbar and Shafiur Rahman died, with hundreds
of others injured. This was a rare incident in
history, where people sacrificed their lives for
their mother tongue.
The procession of 21 february
