Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday morning paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in Dhaka on the occasion of the historic Six-Point Demand Day.

After laying the wreath, the Prime Minister stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, the architect of independence.

Flanked by senior Awami League leaders, Sheikh Hasina placed another wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait as the party chief.

AL Advisory Council Members Mozaffar Hossain Paltu and Mukul Bose, Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Dr Abdur Razzak, Muhammad Faruk Khan and Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, Enamul Haque Shameem, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Barrister Mohibul Haque Naofel and Office Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap were also present, among others.

Later, associate bodies of Bangladesh Awami League including Dhaka city AL, Chhatra League, Jubo League, Sramik League, Krishak League, Mohila Awami League and Swechchhasebak League placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu marking the historic occasion.

On this day in 1966, Bangabandhu launched a massive movement against the misrule of the Pakistanis on the basis of the Six- Point Demand, the Magna Carta of the Bangalees demanding autonomy for the then East Pakistan.

The Awami League (AL) under the charismatic leadership of Bangabandhu called for a day-long hartal on 7 June in 1966 throughout East Pakistan pressing the demand for autonomy to end the exploitation, deprivation, subjugation and tyranny of the then central government of Pakistan on the people here.

Ten people, including labour leader Manu Mian, Shafique and Shamsul Haque, were killed as the police and paramilitary East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) opened fire on the demonstrators on the day in Dhaka, Tongi and Narayanganj during the hartal.

The Pakistani atrocities intensified the movement for provincial autonomy turning it into the historic mass upsurge in 1969 that subsequently caused the downfall of the reign of Field Marshal Ayub Khan.