The Daily
Morning News
10 DECEMBER 1971
News headlines and details from the Daily Morning News.
News Headlines:
- India suffers major debacles in Khushtia and Brahrnanbaria.
- IAF fails to cause any damage.
- Educational Institutions closed.
- Test relief for Dacca.
- Indiscriminate bombing : Attention of Red Cross drawn.
- Indian bombing kills 75 at Kawran Bazar.
Other Headlines:
- A total lie.
- Pindi welcomes UN resolution on cease-
fire. - India not to heed call for cease-
fire. - 2 villages captured in Burki area.
- 20 more civilian killed in Karachi.
- Indian air raid sinks ship in Karachi Harbour.
- IAF loses 109 planes so for.
- 24 killed in Sargodha.
- World conscience. (editorial).
- Iranian dailies condemn Indian aggression.
- Ziauddin welcomes UN resolution.
- Wanted a Military Court.
- India's indifference to US peace bid regretted by Bush.
- 30,000 Waziries ready to fight.
- Condemnation of aggression continues.
- Anti-
Pak movement. - Hongkong Govt's attention drawn.
- US newspapers slate India for attacking Pakistan. Jordanian donates S, 25. offers services to Pak.
- Stand like one moan to crush enemy.
- US pleased by passage of cease fire resolution.
- Gul visits affected areas in Karachi.
- Khaliq congratulates Nurul Amin.
- Pirzada hails coalition Government.
- Contribution to Defence Fund.
- Moscow will stand exposed if aid to India not stopped.
- India's condition for cease-
fire on western front. - Six-
East wing MNAs- elect. arrived in PIndi. - Mediation only after cease-
fire and troops pull- out : Ziauddin. - UN advised not to repeat league of Nations' mistakes.
- All sacrifices for preserving independence.
- So-
called Bangladesh creation of Delhi, says NCNA. - Mahamud Ali exposes `Bangladesh' stunt to caira gathering.
- Saudia Arabia strongly denounces India.
India yesterday suffered two major debacles in Kushtia and Brahmanbaria areas where
she lost nearly three infantry battalions and 16 PT-
reports APP.
Captain Roy who belonged to an armoured regiment of 4-
The Indian prisoners are being treated nicely according to Geneva convention. According
to initial reports reaching Dacca Pakistan troops yesterday afternoon a counter attack
in Kushtia-
Approximately one battalion enemy strength was wiped out, six PT-
The other serious Indian debacle was reported from Brahmanbaria-
area in Comilla district.
The enemy employing a Mountain Brigade supported by artillery and squadron
of Russian tanks launched the attack in the area.
The attacked was beaten back one enemy battalion was completely nawbed
while another was madely crippled.
The enemy also left behind seven Russian tanks in perfectly running condition. the enemy tanks are now being used by Pakistan troops.
Another Indian attack in Comilla Laksham area was repulsed with heavy casualties on the enemy. Details are awaited.
A report from sylhet said the enemy again dropped heli-
Indian Air Force made ten sorties over Dacca on Wednesday with the Soviet built MIG-
The correspondent says : During all the sorties the Indian warplanes flew at very high attitude from where they vainly attempted to hit their targets. They only sign of their strikes left by them were the smoke mushrooms or umbrellas of dust left by rocketing, bombing, strafing or shelling.
He further says :Two note worthy aspects of Indian air action emerged on Wednesday.
One was that they have drastically reduced their radio Dacca since Saturday. When
their air force first struck at Dacca. On that day their planes flew 126 sarties
on the city as against Wednesday's only ten. Second that they have with drawn the
other two types of planes from air action on Dacca. On Saturday three types of IAF
planes had raided Dacca-
Two factors have apparently contributed to this situation. First that the Indians
after losing heavily in the air both at the hands of the PAF pilots and army's Ack
Ack gunners have thought it wise to reduce the number of Sorties. This is also borne
by the fact that for the last two days they have been undertaking only high attitude
strikes which simply don't work. Second in that they have seemingly shifted major
portion of their airpower from East Pakistan to West Pakistan where the PAF is playing
hell with the IAF and reports of increasing air activity in west Pakistan with SU-
It has been decided by Government that all educational institutions, both Government
and non-
The Deputy Commissioner, Dacca informed that a sizeable test relief operation is under way with in Dacca District, reports APP.
He said that due to the president emergency a size able number of burbar labourers are facting difficulties of employment.
With a view to providing them with job opportunities and sequently increasing there purchasing power, tangible relief work is necessary.
Hence this test relief work is launched in Dacca city, its suburb and Narayanganj with immediate effect.
The D. C. has directed the S. D.S's to start test relief work for that with.
Under this programme even suit trenches, Kutcha drains, Kutcha latrine and other earth work oriented programme can be executed to provide air raid shelter etc. and to improve sanitation in slum areas.
To execute the work. project committees will be formed at mahalla or busti level.
Members of the public are requested to extend co-
As for the procedure of pay to the labourers engaged for test relief work the circle officer concern will make payment by cheque to the chairman of a project committee which will undertake such work.
These cheques will be immediately cashed at the work by the approved schedule banks.
Once the bank make the cash available at the work site the project committee concerned will make cash payment to the individual labourer on the spot.
for guidance and information the local circle Officer should be contacted.
Islamabad, Dec. 9 (APP) : Pakistan has drawn the attention of the International Red cross to the heinous acts being committed by the Indian Air Force by indulging in indiscriminatic bombing and strafing of civilian population causing serious loss of life and sidespread damage to public and private property.
A cable sent separately yesterday to the President, International Committee of red cross and the President, league of International Red cross societies, Geneva, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary has lodged, on behalf of the Government of Pakistan a strong protest against these criminal and premeditated acts which violated all norms of international law and which militates in particular, against the Geneva Convention relative to the protection civilian persons in time o( war of August 12,1949.
The Foreign Secretary has urged all steps with in the limits of the statutary jurisdiction of the international Red cross to prevent the further infraction of these laws by senseless and deliberate acts of violence against the civilian population.
In his cable, the Foreign secretary has listed series of heinous acts and has pointed out that the Government of Pakistan had acted with complete restraint and imposed operational restrictions at the cost of reduced effectiveness in order to avoid needless damage to civilians.
Cable to UNESCO DG.
In a cable to the Acting Direct-
The cable sent to UNESCO Headquarters at Paris today said :
Thank you for your telegram dated seventh December 197 1 regarding convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed. conflict done at the Hague in 1954.
Pakistan Government equally shores your anxiety for the safety and protect on places of cultural importance and is full cognizant of the obligations of the convention and has already taken necessary measures to ensure the protection of cultural property during the present armed aggression by India against Pakistan.
I am, however, constrained to point out that due to indiscriminate strafing and bombing
by Indian Air Force and artillery of non-
At least 75 people were killed an many more injured when Indian war planes drooped heavy bombs stated to be 100 pounders over a civilian area in Dacca on Wednesday night, writes APP's war correspondent Altaf. Yawar.
The correspondent who visited the site of devastation yesterday morning says the
figure is not final because when I visited the area-
ABBC Midnight report said 152 persons died in the raid.
Deas bodies were still being extricated from the debris. Bodies of three men were being taken for burial as I reached the spot. When all the debris has been cleared the toll night come out to be in three figures.
Among the dead were about 50 children and teachers of an orphanage called Rahmat-
Residents of the affected area told me that at about 3 a. M. When all were asleep they heared two planes zooming overhead and isntantly huge explosions were heard and This was followed by cries and shouts of men and children. Four bombes were dropped on the area by the Indians of which two exploded and two remained unexploded, on eye witness said. However I saw the impact of only two while one was lying in a lane unexploded. Authorities said that the bombs were all 1,000 pounders each.
One bomb went deeply about 30 feet and exploded creating a depression 30 feet long and 15 wide while the other penetrated 15 feet deep with a width of 15 and length of 20 feet. Both these bombs fell in thickly populated area comprising mostly bamboo or in huts. Concrete shops facing the maned railway crossing leading to tongi industrial area also lay in ruins so big was the impact.
Shattered pieces of masonry wooden planks, corrugated iron sheets and household articleswere
littered all over the area. Also littered were the forn and burnt pages of the Holy
Quran and Islamic books and other literature of the Rehmate-
With the bombing of Karawan Bazar area the confirmed death of civilians in indiscriminate bombing and strafing on Dacca yesterday crossed the 350 mark the highest number of casualties was recorded in Adamjee nagor Housing Colony where about 275 workers lost their lives. The third civil targets of strafing was MPA Hostel where three persons had died.
Majumder.
East Pakistan Minister for Health Mr. Obaidullah Majumder visited sir Salimullah and Dacca Medical College Hospitals yesterday afternoon to see the condition of victims of the indiscrimination bombing by Indian air craft at the Islamic Mission Orphange in Tejgaon late last might, reports APP.
The Minister was visibly moved to see the wounded, who included minor boys.
6 killed at Faridpur.
Six persons were killed and 28 others were grievously injured when an Indian plane bombed on Wednesday at 10. a. m. at Ambika bazar, within municipal area of Faridpur it was officially learnt in Dacca yesterday.
The injured persons were hospitalised at faridpur sadar Hospital. Six shops of the bazar were completely burnt.
Profile of Bengal