The Daily
Morning News
06 MARCH 1971
News headlines and details from the Daily Morning News.
News Headlines:
- EPUET teachers condemn firings.
- Bangla Chatra League calls for united movement.
- President urged to drop RTC proposal.
- Ask awardees to renounce tamghas, Mujib urged.
- Yahya urged to hand over power to Sheikh Mujib.
- Bangla Desh People's Party dissociates from PPP.
- AL opens control room.
- Cinema artistes resent NA postponement.
- Every moment counts.
- Pak Govt. studying Nixon's policy speech (Islamabad).
- UK investment in Pakistan.
- Asghar meets Mujib (Air Marshal Retd.)
- Tajuddin condemns killing civilians.
- Mujib denies AIR report
- Responsibility disowned PPP, terms East Bengal reaction unwarranted.
- Army withdrawn.
- People pledge to win cherished goal (about hartal).
- 4 killed at Tongi (by bullet).
Other Headlines:
- One killed in Rajshahi (by fire).
- 15 including AL leaders arrested in Lahore.
- 10-
hr. curfew in Rangpur. - Bonus on foreign exchange earnings for Pak artistes (Islamabad).
- Baluch students criticise Bhutto.
The teacher of the East Pakistan University of Engineering Sand Technology yesterday brought out a big procession and paraded the main thoroughfares of the city in protest against the postponement of the National Assembly session and also to condemn the firings in various parts of the province resulting in many deaths and injured.
The procession joined by the university students and other staff raised slogans demanding autonomy for East Pakistan and condemning the role of Mr. Z.A. Bhutto.
Early Gaibana Janaza was held in the university field to pray for the souls of those martyrs who lost their lives for the cause of Bangla Desh.
The procession after parading some of the city roads terminated at central Shaheed Minar. The teachers and students of the university pledged to work side by side with the people of Bangla Desh for the emancipation of the teeming millions.
The teachers expressed grief and sympathy with the members of the bereaved families of the martyrs and those injured.
(Staff Rep.)
A protest rally of the Bangla Chatra League held at the University Bhattola yesterday called upon Sheikh Mujib, Maulana Bhashani, Mr. Ataur Rahman and Prof. Muzaffar Ahmed to launch a united movement immediately.
Presided over by Sheikh Harunur Rashid, the meeting was addressed by Mosharraf Hossain, Saidur Rahman Sayed, Kamalur Rahim, Enamul Haq and Joynal Abedin.
(Staff Rep.)
Leaders of more political parties and other organisations yesterday issued statements and held meetings and processions to protest the postponement of the National Assembly session.
Mr. A. M. Sulaiman, president of the Krishak Sramik Party, requested the president to realise the gravity of the situation and to drop the proposal for a round table conference and to convene the National Assembly immediately. In a statement, he said that the PPP chief Bhutto's adamant attitude was responsible for the present situation.
Government college teachers
The East Pakistan Government College Teachers Association has expressed its resentment at the postponement and described it a bid to hinder the peaceful transfer of power to the people's representatives ; it also condemned the killing of unarmed people of Bangla Desh the Teachers' Association lent its support to the leadership of Sheikh Mujib and to the stand taken by him.
(APP)
Mr. Abdul Mansur Ahmed, former central minister, yesterday called upon Mujib, our
National Leader to ask all East Pakistan officials and non-
Mr. Abdul Mansur Ahmed, in a statement, said those East Pakistan officials and non-
(Staff Rep.)
The Executive committee of the Dacca Chamber of Commerce and Industries yesterday by a resolution urged president Yahya to immediately withdraw martial law, convene the National Assembly and hand over power to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Dacca C.C.I. in its meeting in Dacca reiterated its complete faith in the leadership
of Sheikh Mujib, and extended fullest co-
The committee donated Rs. 10,000 to the families of those martyrs who lost their lives as a result of recent firings.
The East Pakistan People's Party has decided that it should no longer be associate with PPP (Pakistan People's Party) and decides to declare EPPP (East Pakistan People's Party) as an independent organisation in the new name "Bangla Desh Peoples Party" Mr. Garib Newaz, general secretary of the Bangla Desh People's Party said here in a press statement.
Mr. Garib's statement drafted under "the Pakistan People's Party letter-
Mr. Garib Newaz also appealed to leaders of Bangla Desh to come under the guidance of popular leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
On Mr. Bhutto's recent activities he said, it clearly indicates that instead of following democratic principles he has started behaving like an autocrat disregarding the just demand of Bangla Desh. "Had he been behaving democratically, he should have accepted unconditionally the verdict of the majority people of Pakistan" he said. He is rather creating all these disturbances in the country. It is really unfortunate to note that the staunch followers of integrity are out to shatter the solidarity and integrity of Pakistan alleged adding, the people of Bangla Desh will at all not be responsible if the integrity is lost.
A press release issued by the Awami League in Dacca yesterday said, the news item
published on March 5 in some local dailies regarding the formation of peace committees
of Awami League is incorrect. The Awami League has also no such telephone numbers
(251342-
On the other hand Awami League opened a control room for maintaining peace and discipline
in the city. People have been asked to dial the following telephone numbers in case
of emergency : 252174-
Pressmen have also been requested to contact Awami League on telephone no. 254733 in connection with press notification.
(Staff Rep.)
Thirty-
They said that reactionary forces were creating impediments in the way of establishment of democracy in the country.
They have, therefore, decided to join their lots with the peasants, workers, labourers and other fighting people of Bangladesh.
The signatories to the statement included among others, Abdul Jabbar Khan, Khan Ataur Rahman, Iftekharul Alam, Mustafa, Anwar Hussain, Shabnam, Razzak, Rosy, Samad, Kabori, Azim, Sujata, Sultana Zaman, Mostafa, Suchanda and Zahir Raihan.
(Editorial)
The response to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's call has been magnificent. The people have carried on the struggle in a disciplined manner. The directives issued by Mujib have been carried out less . Exemptions have been granted in the observance of the hartal and where found necessary extended. In the view of the improved situation relaxations have been made.
But events are moving so fast that they overtake one even before one has been able to get one's bearings. Every hour is important, with every hour the perplexity increases. Every moment can count.
The sacrifices made by the people fill us with profound humanity. We pray for the souls of the dead.
(APP)
Islamabad March 5 (APP): Pakistan has received official version of president Nixon's
recent policy statement containing references to Indo-
Meanwhile, political observers noted that the use of the word 'hostility by the US
president in the context of Indo-
However, they pointed out the American president had not stated as to how the United States was going to remove the causes of hostility existence of basic disputes like Kashmir and Farrakka.
The observers also said it will be of interest to know as to what contributions the United States was willing to make to remove the reasons of hostility the continuance of basic disputes and their problems such as the Indian's arbitrary ban on flights by Pakistan planes over her territory.
The observers noted that while recognizing existence of hostility, the US president had made no mention of disputes which are responsible for unfriendly relations between Pakistan and India.
They said it would be natural for Pakistan to wish that president Nixon had also gone into the causes of the hostility.
Karachi, March 5 (PPI): About 100 million pounds have been invested in Pakistan by Britain, according to a British Information press release here.
The British investments were more in East Pakistan than in the western wing.
Britain is a major supplier to the Pakistan market not only for goods and services
but also for know-
Pakistan was also exporting a large quantity of jute manufactures and a cotton textiles to the U.K.
Air Marshal (Rtd.) Asghar Khan, chief of Tehrik-
Air Marshal Asghar Khan remained with the Sheikh for about 45 minutes. He plans to meet the Sheikh again this afternoon.
(APP)
Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed general secretary of East Pakistan Awami League said here yesterday that unarmed civilians—workers, peasants and students are being moved down by military bullets in Dacca, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Sylhet and other places in Bangladesh, reports APP.
In a statement here Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed said reports of casualties in thousands are pouring in from different parts of Bangladesh and added we cannot but condemn in the strongest terms such reprehensible conduct by personnel who are meant to use their arms only for the defence of the country against foreign aggressors.
He appealed to the common people of West Pakistan to join right thinking people everywhere to urge that such a naked use of force against the unarmed civilian population of Bangladesh should be brought an end forthwith.
Ataur Rahman
ENA adds : National League chief Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan yesterday urged the administration to stop killing and firings.
(APP)
Mujib last night categorically denied that he had made an appeal to America or any country urging them to put pressure on Pakistan government to stop repression in East Pakistan, reports APP. He was asked to comment on an All India Radio broadcast which quoted a foreign news agency.
The Awami League chief also denied having said that he was willing to share power
with the chairman of People's Party, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as reported by All-
He said the broadcast by the India radio were mischievous and figments of imagination.
(APP)
Rawalpindi, March 5 (APP): The Pakistan People's Party will continue its struggle safeguarding the unity of Pakistan and the "forces for further development in the opposite direction shall be clearly on those who want to maintain exploitation." The PPP spokesman, Mr. Abdul Hafeez Pirzada said here this afternoon.
He was talking to newsmen after a meeting between president Yahya Khan and the PPP chairman Mr. Zulfiker Ali Bhutto.
The meeting was also attended by PPP leaders J.A. Rahim, Ghulam Mustafa Khan and Hafeez Pirzada.
Mr. Pirzada said the PPP leaders had "detailed and threadbare" discussions with the
president in the context of the present worst ever "crisis in the 23 year history
of the country. The PPP he said had requested for a brief postponement of the National
Assembly session to have an opportunity for further dialogue with the Awami league
in order to find out whether there was any scope for a negotiated settlement or compromise
on the basis of the Six-
He said the postponement of the session did not mean dissolution of the National Assembly or destruction of all that we had worked out. The machinery for framing the constitution was there in fact and it was only a short delay in the commencement of the session.
Unwarranted
Unfortunately, Mr. Pirzada said, the reaction to the postponement was most unwarranted judged by any standards. Such a reaction from East Pakistan Awami League was not at all justified, he added.
(APP)
It has been decided to withdraw the army to the barrack yesterday as there has been no incident of lawlessness since lifting of curfew on Thursday morning, martial law authorities announced here yesterday, reports. APP.
Following Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's appeal for peace there has been considerable improvement in the general law and order situation during the past 24 hours.
(Staff Rep.)
Complete hartal was observed throughout Bangla Desh for the third day and in Dacca for the fourth consecutive day yesterday in response to a call by Mujib protesting against the postponement of the National Assembly Session.
There was complete peace in the city and till late last night no untoward incident
was reported from any part of the city firing in Tongi by forces on duty however
disturbed the near-
Meetings were held and processions were brought out to protest against the postponement of the National Assembly session and also to condemn the killing of large number of unarmed and innocent people of Bangladesh.
In response to a directive by Mujib issued in Dacca on Thursday the government and
non-
The telephone service in Bangladesh was also partially restored as employees of the
telephone Dept. who were boycotting work returned in response to a directive by the
Awami League chief. Telegram-
The government, semi government and offices of autonomous bodies and private organisations remained totally closed as the employees stayed out.
The roads were deserted as the vehicles went off the streets during the strike period. Only a few vehicles belonging to hospitals, press, doctors, water and electricity supply department plied on the roads.
After the strike period the city returned to near-
In the various meetings held in different parts of the city the people pledged to lay down their lives for the fulfillment of their cherished goal— emancipation of the people of Bangladesh. They also reiterated their faith in Mujib's leadership. Demands for immediate withdrawal of martial law summoning of the National Assembly session at Dacca, handing over power to majority party in Pakistan were also raised in the meetings.
The Students League brought out a "lathi procession" from Baitul Mukarram in the afternoon and paraded the main thoroughfares of the city. A brief meeting was also held before the procession.
A public meeting at the central Shaheed Minar organised by the East Pakistan Students Union (Wali Group) urged the people to resist the conspiracy which was being hatched at various levels against the people of Bangladesh. Speakers in the meeting strongly condemned the firings in various parts of Bangladesh resulting in many deaths and many more injured.
Writers, housewives
The Pakistan Writers Guild also held a meeting and expressed concern over the postponement of the National Assembly session. They also brought out procession and paraded the city street.
The Khilgaon Land Distribution Committee also organised a rally in the evening before Baitul Makarram. The processionists parade the main thoroughfares pf the city raising various slogans.
The Airway Employees Union had chalked out the following programme: March 6 -
(ENA)
At least four persons were killed and about 20 others injured when forces on duty opened fire on the workers at Tongi Industrial Area yesterday morning following an altercation of the Tongi Telephone Exchange between the operator on duty and an officer in uniform, reports ENA.
One Rafizuddin (35) was brought dead and Abdul Matin (25) succumbed to his bullet injuries at the chest and abdomen after admission to the DMCH with 12 other victims.
Abdul later succumbed to his injuries at DMCH at about 9-
Body of another man, also named Matin was last night brought dead to DMCH from Tongi, according to a hospital source.
At least six others with bullet injuries were rushed to the Mirzapur Hospital in an immediately available Fire Brigade van.
Three of those who were admitted to the Dacca Medical College Hospital namely Joynul Abedin (25), Abdul Mia (35) and Sheikh Elahi (26) had undergone operation. Others were reported out of danger.
An ENA correspondent who visited the Dacca MCH found the following names in the Admission list (brought with bullet injuries from Tongi after the incident): Arju Mandal (18), Akkas Ali (25), Maksudul Haq (25), Reza Mia (30), Abdul Mobarak (20), Ganzar Ali (25), Sheikh Ilahi (25), Abdul Mia (35), Mosharraf Hussain (25), Azimuddin (28), Mujibur Rahman (25), and Joynal Abedin (25).
Local people who claimed were present on the spot at a safe distance told visiting ENA correspondent that they saw a number of bodies were carried inside a textile mill. The correspondent was refused entry inside the mill premises. Official confirmation was available on casual figure till filing the report.
(Eng. Varsity Correspondent)
Profile of Bengal