1970 East Pakistan Provincial Assembly election
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300 of the 310 seat in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly 156 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Registered | 29,479,386 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 57.68% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Provincial elections were held in East Pakistan on 17 December 1970, ten days after general elections. A total of 1,850 candidates ran for the 300 seats in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly.[1] The result was a landslide victory for the Awami League, which won 288 of the 300 seats.
Background
In the previous provincial election in 1954, the Awami League, Krishak Sramik Party and other smaller parties formed an alliance called United Front (Jukto Front). The Jukto Front won a landslide victory by winning 223 of the 309 seats. The Muslim League, once the most popular party in the province, had its worst-ever defeat, with many provincial ministers, including the chief minister of East Bengal, losing their seats.[2]
In 1958, the military takeover by Field Marshal Ayub Khan overthrew all federal and provincial governments of Pakistan.[3]
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the leader of the Awami League in 1963 and became the strongest supporter of lifting martial law and restoring democracy. In the 1965 Presidential Election, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman openly supported and launched campaign along with his party for Fatima Jinnah. Fatima Jinnah gained more votes in East Pakistan than West Pakistan.
On 18 March 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placed Six-point movement during a conference held in Lahore which demanded more autonomy for East Pakistan. It was rejected by then political parties of both wings but got huge support from the people of East Bengal.[4] In April 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman demanded to conduct a nationwide referendum on his six-point movement and said that military establishment is exploiting East Pakistan by using all export revenue of jute to feed the army.[5]
He was arrested in April 1966 in Jessore but was bailed out soon. He was again arrested on the orders of Ayub Khan in May and sent to Sylhet jail where he was charged in the Agartala Conspiracy case along with 28 East Bengali military and government officials. After huge protests against the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman across East Pakistan, all cases were withdrawn and he was released.[6]
A month before elections the deadliest tropical storm hit East Bengal which claimed lives of at least half a million people.[7] Poor response from then government of Pakistan skyrocketed popularity of Awami League. President Yahya Khan was strongly criticized by international media due to its poor disaster governance.[8]
Results
The Awami League won a landslide victory of 288 seats. After claiming all ten seats reserved for women, it held 298 seats.[9]
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
| General | Women | Total | ||||||
| Awami League | 288 | 10 | 298 | |||||
| Pakistan Democratic Party | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||
| National Awami Party (Wali) | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Nizam-e-Islam Party | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Other parties and independents | 7 | 0 | 7 | |||||
| Total | 300 | 10 | 310 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 29,479,386 | – | ||||||
| Source: Baxter, Jhotpot Info, Banglapedia | ||||||||
Elected members
Aftermath
Despite the Awami League's landslide victory and clear mandate. Yahya Khan and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) didn't want the majority from East Pakistan to rule Pakistan. Bhutto said "udhar tum, idhar hum" (you rule East, we rule West)[12] and threatened PPP members of parliament by saying that he will break legs of those who will go to Dhaka to attend the National Assembly session called on March 3, 1971, because he wanted to block Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from becoming Prime Minister of Pakistan.[13] After the National Assembly session was cancelled by President Yahya Khan on March 1. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave his famous speech on March 7 to a huge crowd at Ramna Course Ground in Dhaka and demanded lifting of martial law, withdrawal of army to their barracks and transfer of power to the elected representatives by the people before the 25 March National Assembly session.[14] On March 26, 1971, the Pakistan military launched Operation Searchlight against Bengali nationalists to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in East Bengal.[15] Sheikh Mujibur Rehman declared the independence of Bangladesh on 26 March 1971. This led to a start of a 9 month long war which led to the surrender of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan and the independence of Bangladesh.[16]
References
- ^ "The Vangaurd of the Islamic Revolution". Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Paracha, Nadeem F. (26 January 2017). "The Muslim League: A factional history". Dawn. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Military Rule". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ "Revisiting the significance of the historic Six-Point Movement". The Daily Star (Opinion). 12 June 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Six-point Programme". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ Bokhari, Hassaan (13 November 2021). "The Agartala conspiracy and the resultant deification of Sheikh Mujib in East Pakistan". Global Village Space. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ "Remembering the great Bhola cyclone". Dhaka Tribune (Opinion). 8 November 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Biswas, Sravani; Daly, Patrick (July 2021). "'Cyclone Not Above Politics' : East Pakistan, disaster politics, and the 1970 Bhola Cyclone". Modern Asian Studies. 55 (4): 1382–1410. doi:10.1017/S0026749X20000293. hdl:10356/154579. ISSN 0026-749X. S2CID 224892294.
- ^ "Bangladesh: Awami League's Glorious Achievement on its Journey so far". Awami League. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ ১৯৭০ সালের সাধারণ নির্বাচনে প্রাদেশিক পরিষদে বিজয়ী সদস্যদের তালিকা. Songramer Notebook. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Habib, Khaled (1991). Bangladesh: Elections, Parliament & the Cabinet, 1970-91. Ē. Āra. Muraśēda. pp. 29–37. OCLC 27146030.
- ^ "Why Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Actually Wanted India To Annex Bangladesh in 1971 War? Inside Story". EurAsian Times. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ "Special report: The Breakup of Pakistan 1969-1971". Dawn. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Seventh March Address". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ Khan, Ayaz Muhammad (18 December 2021). "The tragedy of East Pakistan: Operation searchlight, myth or reality?". Global Village Space. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "War of Liberation, The". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
