In the sub-section of Chapter 14 (Bangladesh Autonomy Movement and Pakistan's Last

Phase): March 1971: Pakistan's Last Chapter; the author leads up by reiterating that Awami

League's Six Point Programme provided a mechanism for a confederation of Pakistan. The

author then concentrates on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's landmark 7 March 1971

speech in which he called for independence but at the same time extended an olive branch to

'peaceably settle the differences and coexist as brothers'. This was likely Bangabandhu's finest

hour where he displayed great leadership as a constitutionalist at core who also had the utmost

interest of the Bengali nation in his heart. That is why, in that speech, he stopped short of a

unilateral declaration of independence; instead, invited General Yahya to a dialogue for the

resolution of the crisis. He did not fully trust the military junta, and so asked the Bengalis to

prepare if necessary for a struggle for independence. However, the launch of Operation

Searchlight at nightfall of 25 March; was the end of a united Pakistan and Bangladesh declared

its independence as a military junta destroyed the Pakistan that emerged in 1947.
In the sub-section of Chapter 16 (Documents on the Declaration of Independence): Speech of

Bangabandhu, 7 March 1971; the author stated the historical speech of 7 March which has been

selected as one of the all-time best. Bangabandhu started with the lines, "Today, I appeared

before you with a heavy heart.

He mentioned four conditions for joining the National Assembly on March 25:

The immediate lifting of martial law;

The immediate withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks;

The immediate transfer of power to elected representatives of the people;

A proper inquiry into the loss of life during the conflict.

He also gave several directives for a civil disobedience movement, instructing that:

People should not pay taxes;

Government servants should take orders only from him;

The secretariat, government and semi-government offices, and courts in East Pakistan

should observe strikes, with necessary exemptions announced from time to time;

Only local and inter-district telephone lines should function;

Railways and ports could continue to function, but their workers should not co-operate if

they were used to repress the people of East Pakistan.

The speech concluded with, "Our struggle, this time, is a struggle for our freedom. Our struggle,

this time, is a struggle for our independence. Joy Bangla.