- Source: 1970 East Pakistan Provincial Assembly election
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. 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.
In 1958, the military takeover by Field Marshal Ayub Khan overthrew all federal and provincial governments of Pakistan.
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 Bengal 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 Bengal. It was rejected by then political parties of both wings but got huge support from the people of East Bengal. 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 Bengal by using all export revenue of jute to feed the army.
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 After huge protests against the arrest of Sheikh Mujib Rahman across East Bengal all cases were withdrawn and he was released.
A month before elections the deadliest tropical storm hit East Bengal which claimed lives of at least half a million people. Poor response from then government of Pakistan skyrocketed popularity of anti-establishment party Awami League. Military dictator and then president Yahya Khan was strongly criticized by international media due to its poor disaster governance.
Results
The Awami League won a landslide victory of 288 seats. After claiming all ten seats reserved for women, it held 298 seats.
= 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 Bengal to rule Pakistan. Bhutto said "udhar tum, idhar hum" (you rule East, we rule West) 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. After the National Assembly session was cancelled by President Yahya Khan on March 1. Sheikh Mujibur Rehman 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. On March 26, 1971, the Pakistan military launched Operation Searchlight against the East Bengali people to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in East Bengal. Sheikh Mujibur Rehman declared the independence of Bangladesh on 26 March 1971. This led to start of 9 month long Bangladesh Liberation War which led to the surrender of Pakistani forces in East Bengal and the independence of Bangladesh.
References
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- 1970 East Pakistan Provincial Assembly election
- Provincial Assembly of East Pakistan
- 1970 Pakistani general election
- 1970 Pakistani general election in East Pakistan
- Elections in Pakistan
- 1965 East Pakistan Provincial Assembly election
- East Pakistan
- Provincial assemblies of Pakistan
- Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- 2024 Pakistani general election
