On March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a massive public meeting at the Race Course in Dhaka. In his speech, he declared "The struggle now is the struggle for our emancipation, the struggle now is the struggle for Independence" as the people of East Pakistan had given him an absolute mandate to pursue his six-point doctrine through the recent elections. On March 25, the Pakistan army launched a brutal crackdown in Dhaka, arresting Sheikh Mujib. On March 27, independence was declared in Bangladesh's name by those continuing the liberation war. Sheikh Mujib headed the provisional Mujibnagar government formed to lead the nine-month liberation