United Front (East Pakistan)

The coalition was led by three major Bengali populist leaders: A. K. Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Maulana Bhashani.

[1][2] A. K. Fazlul Huq of the Krishak Praja Party became Chief Minister of East Pakistan upon the victory of the United Front.

In the provincial government, young leaders such as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Yusuf Ali Chowdhury and Khaleque Nawaz Khan rose to prominence.

The Front was formed on 4 December 1953 by the initiative of AK Fazlul Huq of Krishak Sramik Party, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy of Awami Muslim League.

To make the country self-sufficient by modernising the method of cultivation and industrialisation, and to ensure the rights of the labourer as per ILO Convention; 9.

To repeal all Safety and Preventive Detention Acts of Ayub Khan and release all prisoners detained without trial, and try in open court persons involved in anti-state activities; to safeguard the rights of the press and of holding meetings; 15.

The Lahore Resolution proposed full autonomy of East Bengal leaving defence, foreign affairs and currency under the central government.

The United Front ministry was sworn in on 3 April 1954 & the cabinet was expanded on 15 May in order to include members of the Awami League.

[3] Hence, on 30 May, within weeks of assuming power, the newly elected provincial legislature was dismissed by Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad,[4] upon accusations of mismanagement & seccession against A K Fazlul Huq, who wqs placed under house-arrest.

The One Unit scheme was essentially an anti-democratic provocation meant to stop East Bengal from taking advantage of its numerical superiority.