On March 2 in 1971 a historic student rally was held at Bottola on the Dhaka University Premises. The first national flag with the map of Bangladesh inlaid in it was hoisted there.
According to the website of the Liberation War Museum, the flag was hoisted by student leader ASM Abdur Rob, along with Chhatra Sangram Parishad leader Tofayel Ahmed, Abdul Quddus Makhan and Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui.
All the attendees at the rally expressed their firm determination to make any sacrifice and continue to fight till the end. An oath was taken in the beginning of the meeting by the student body under the leadership of Bangabandhu to continue the fight for freedom.
In the meeting, the then Chhatra League secretary Shahjahan Shiraj and DUSCU general secretary Abdul Quddus Makhan also spoke. After the meeting students brought out a huge procession with slogans regarding freedom of the country. The procession ended in front of Baitul Mukarram.
In the afternoon, the Pakistani flag was taken down and the Bangladeshi flag inlaid with Bangladesh map was hoisted in the Dhaka University and in the Secretariat premises.
Suddenly on that very night curfew was imposed in the Dhaka City. As soon as the curfew was announced, students from their hostels and general people alike headed out from their houses chanting slogans opposing the curfew and took out processions.
Their slogan was “Shandho Ain Mani na” (We defy curfew), “Joy Bangla”, “Bir Bangali osthro dhoro, Bangladesh shadhin Koro” (Valiant Bengali people take arms and make the country independent).
Curfew was broken throughout the city and barricades are formed at various roads and streets. At around 9:30 am military opened fire at DIT intersection and in front of the Morning News newspaper office. Police opened fire when a huge procession was heading towards the Gobernor’s house breaking curfew. Sporadic firings by police and army were almost everywhere in Dhaka.