MUJIB REJECTS INVITATION

 

DACCA, March 3 : Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of the Awami League, rejected tonight the invitation of President Yahya Khan to attend the proposed meeting of the leaders of all the parliamentary groups in the National Assembly on March 10 in Dacca to solve the constitutional tangle.

 

Following is the full text of the statement.

 

" The radio announcement of the proposed invitation to the political leaders to sit with the President of Pakistan in conference in Dacca on March 10, coming as it does in the wake of widespread killing of the unarmed civilian population in Dacca, Chittagong and other places in Bangla Desh, while the blood of the martyrs on the streets is hardly dry, while some of the dead are still lying unburied and hundreds are fighting death in hospital comes as a cruel joke. This is more so since we are being called upon to sit with certain elements whose devious machinations are responsible for the death of innocent and unarmed peasants, workers and students.

 

" With the military build-up continuing with harsh language of weapons still ringing in our ears the invitation to such a conference is in effect being made at gun point.

 

" Under these circumstances, the question of accepting such invitations does not arise. I, therefore, reject such an invitation."

 

 

(THE DAWN, Karachi-March 4, 1971)

 

 

Source: Bangladesh Documents, vol – 1, page no. 197-198