PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE
ORDER,
dated
Press report on
Mujeeb Nagar (Bangla Desh)
The proclamation of independence order, which was
issued on April 10 shall he deemed to have come into effect from
"The proclamation of independence order, dated
10th day of April 1971".
"Whereas free elections were held in Bangla
Desh from 7th December, 1970 to 17th January 1971, to elect representatives for
the purpose of framing a Constitution, and
"whereas at these elections the people of
Bangla Desh elected 167 out of 169 representatives belonging to the Awami
League, and whereas Gen. Yahya Khan summoned the elected representatives of the
people to meet on the 3rd March, 1971, for the purpose of framing a
constitution, and
"whereas the Assembly so summoned was
arbitrarily and illegally postponed for indefinite period, and
"whereas instead of fulfilling their promise
and while still conferring with the representatives of people of
"Whereas in the facts and circumstances of such
treacherous conduct Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the undisputed leader of
75 millions of people of Bangla Desh, in due fulfilment of the legitimate right
of self-determination of the people of Bangla Desh, duly made declaration of
independence at Dhaka on March 26, 1971; and integrity of Bangla Desh, and
Whereas in the conduct of a ruthless and savage war
the Pakistani authorities committed and are still committing numerous acts of
genocide and unprecedented tortures, amongst others on the civilian and unarmed
people of Bangla Desh, and
"Whereas the Pakistan Government by levying an
unjust war and committing genocide and by other repressive measures made it
impossible for the elected representatives of the people of Bangla Desh to meet
and frame a Constitution, and give to themselves a government and
"Whereas the people of Bangla Desh by their
heroism, bravery and revolutionary fervour have established effective control
over the territories of Bangla Desh,
We the elected representatives of the people of
Bangla Desh, as honour hound by the mandate given to us by the people of Bangla
Desh whose will is supreme duly constituted ourselves into a Constituent
Assembly, and having held mutual consultations, and in order to ensure for the
people of Bangla Desh equality, human dignity and social justice,
-Declare and constitute Bangla Desh to be sovereign
people's Republic and thereby confirm the declaration of independence already
made by Banga Bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and
"Do hereby confirm and resolve that till such
time as a constitution is framed, Banga Bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman shall be
the President of the Republic and that Syed Nazrul Islam shall be the
Vice-President of the Republic and that the President, shall be the Supreme
commander of all the armed forces of the Republic, shall exercise all the
executive and legislative powers of the Republic including the power to grant
pardon, shall have the power to appoint a Prime Minister and such other
Ministers as he considers necessary, shall have the power to levy taxes and
expend monies, shall have the power to summon and adjourn the constituent
Assembly, and do all other things that may be necessary to give to the people
of Bangla Desh an orderly and just government.
"We the elected representatives of the people
of Banga Desh do further resolve that in the event of there being no President
or the President being unable to enter upon his office or being unable to
exercise his powers and duties due to any reason whatsoever, the Vice-president
shall have and exercise all the powers, duties and responsibilities herein
conferred on the President,
"We further resolve that we undertake to
observe and give effect to all duties and obligations devolved upon us a member
of the family of nations and by the Charter of the United Nations, we further
resolve that this proclamation of independence shall be deemed to have come
into effect since 26th day of March, 1971.
"We further resolve that to give effect to this
our resolution, we authorise and appoint Prof. M. Yusuf Ali, our duly
constituted potentiary to give to the President and Vice-President oaths of
office".
(THE SUNDAY STANDARD-April 18, 1971.)