TO THE  PEOPLE OF BANGLA DESH

          

English translation of an address by Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister, on behalf
of the Government of Bangla Desh headed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
broadcast by Swadhin Bangla Desh Betar Kendra, April, 11, 1971.

 

 

 

Heroic and brave brothers and sisters of Independent Bangla Desh.

 

In the name of your President, Bangla Bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangla Desh, we salute you and pay homage to the departed souls of the martyrs who have

 

sacrificed their lives in the defence of their motherland. They will shine in our memory as long as Bangla Desh exists, as long as a single citizen of Bangla Desh lives. Since the proclamation of independence by your leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, after General Yahya had on the midnight of 25th March, ordered his Army to commit genocide on the peace-loving people of Bangla Desh, you have joined the ranks of the immortals amongst the freedom fighters of history. Your epic resistance against the colonial army of occupation from West Pakistan is an inspi­ration to the freedom loving peoples of the world. Each day of struggle adds a new and glorious page in the saga of our liberation struggle. Each martyr wins us a thousand friends in the world who cannot but salute your heroism.

 

By your determination and ability to withstand the murderous onslaught of Yahya's gang of professional killers you have shown that a new Bengali Nation has been born amidst the ruins of the battlefield. To the world we were a peace-loving people, Friendly, human, fond of music and dance, imbued with an awareness of culture and beauty. War and violence were thought to be foreign to our nature. But today whilst we remain true to our heritage, Bengalis have shown that they are also a warrior people, with an unconquerable will and courage to face an aggressor who enjoys overwhelming superiority in the use of weapons.

 

Had you failed to resist this first onslaught, the newly independent Republic of Bangla Desh may have gone under and the world may have had to wait many years before resistance raised its head once more. But you faced their tanks and bombers with your  bare hands armed only with faith in the cause of a free Bangla Desh. Today you have put the murderous enemy on the defensive. Most of Bangla Desh is Liberated. The world's Press roams at will in Free Bangla Desh and reports your victories to an amazed and now admiring world. As news of the resistance spreads throughout Bangla Desh, young men and women are coming forward in thier thousands to join the fight for freedom.

 

Today a mighty army is being formed around the nucleus of professional soldiers, from the Bengal Regiment and E.P.R. who have rallied to the cause of the liberation struggle. These have been joined by the Police, Ansars and Mujahids and now by thou­sands of Awami League and other volunteers and are being trained into a fighting force ready to use the captured weapons from the defeated West Pakistani mercenaries and fresh arms being purchased from funds collected by our Bengali Brothers overseas.

 

In the Sylhet/Comilla region, we have, commissioned Major Khaled Musharrat of the Bengal Regiment to take command of military operations in the region. The courage and daring of his force has already reduced the presence of the Pakistan Army to the Cantonments of Sylhet and Comilla where they will soon be liquidated by the closing ring of the Liberation Army.

 

In Chittagong and Noakhali we have commissioned Major Zia Rahman of the Bengal Regiment to take full command of operations. His heroic defence of Chittagong City against overwhelming odds, which included attacks from the air and sea, will take its place with the defence of Stalingrad in the annals of warfare. Today, thanks to his resistance Chittagong is still not secure in the hands of the enemy, whilst the whole of Chittagong and Noakhali districts, outside limited pockets of Chittagong town are liberated areas.

 

In the Mymensingh/Tangail area, we have commissioned Major Safiullah of the Bengal Regiment to take command of operations in the region. He has liberated the major part of the area under his control and is ready to march on Dacca.

 

The three commanders have already met and prepared a joint plan of battle designed to mop up surviving pockets of resistance in their respective areas preparatory to a com­bined onslaught on Dacca.

 

 

In the South-West Region, we have commissioned Major Osman of the E.P.R. to take command of the Kushtia-Jessore zone, while Major Jalil has been given charge of Faridpur-Barisal-Khulna-Patuakhali zone. After the historic victory of Kushtia, the Liberation force has already driven the Pakistan army out of the whole area and confined them to the cantonment of Jessore and parts of Khulna town.

 

In North Bengal a Unified Command is being set up from the forces of Bengal Regiment and E.P.R. Our liberation forces under the command of Major Ahmed have pushed out enemy forces from Rajashahi district. Major Nazrul and Major Nowazesh are laying siege to the hard pressed occupation army respectively in Saidpur and Rangpur. The Liberation force have already driven the Pakistan army out of the whole Dinajpur, Bogra, Pabna and Rangpur districts except the limits of cantonment areas and are ready for the final assault.

 

The brilliant success of our fighting forces and the daily additions to their strength in manpower and captured weapons has enabled the Government of the People's Re­public of Bangla Desh, first announced through major Zia Rahman, to set up a full­fledged operational base from which it is administering the liberated areas. Whilst the interim capital is located in the librated area of the western zone, we have set up a regional seat of government located in the liberated area of the Sylhet/Comilla zone, which is delegated to exercise full administrative authority over all areas in the eastern regions.      

 

We are now in a position to invite the world's Press, diplomatic and political obser­vers to tour the liberated areas and witness the reality of a free Bangla Desh. At the same time we ask all friendly governments and peoples as well as international agencies such as the Red Cross, who are willing to extend us aid on humanitarian grounds but have been prevented from doing so by the inhumanity of Islamabad, to make direct contact with the Government of the People's Republic of Bangla Desh.

 

Whilst humanitarian aid is welcome from all sources it must be remembered that what we need above all is arms to repel the aggressor from the sacred soil of Bangla Desh. Today our civilian population are under equipped and outgunned by the modern mecha­nised army of occupation which has been equipped with the latest weapons from the arsenal of the big powers. We appeal to these powers to suspend all further arms deli­veries to this army of murderers. These weapons were given for defence against external aggression and not to commit wanton murder on innocent women and children in Bangla Desh. Much of these weapons have been paid for by the blood and sweat of the toiling masses of Bangla Desh who are now being butchered in their thousands by these same weapons. We appeal to these powers to not only suspend all arms deliveries but to in­sist that these weapons of death be turned away from the task of suppressing the aspira­tions of 75 million Bangalis.

 

To the extend that Yahya's mercenaries remain insensitive to world opinion and continue with their planned genocide of Bengalis, we appeal for arms from all countries who value freedom and have fought aggression in their own time. In seeking aid from abroad we must remind our friends that this should be given in a spirit of goodwill without strings and designed solely to aid us in our liberation struggle. Bangla Desh has struggled far too long for its self-determination to allow themselves to become anyone's satellite. Bengalis abroad are asked to step up their mobilisation of funds and to purchase arms and despatch them promptly to the liberated areas so that our army and volunteers can be trained and equipped in their use.

 

For those who as yet are unequipped with modem weapons or may not be so equi­pped for some time, we ask you to arm yourselves with all variety of indigenous weapons at hand. You too have a role to play in combatting enemy paratroopers, commandos and agents who operate secretly in the liberated areas. You have a role to play in cutting roads, preparing ambushes and booby traps, guarding the waterways and even in direct combat with the enemy if they ever come to close quarters. To equip yourselves for this task, group yourselves for training and instructions under the Sangram Parishads whose field commanders should report for briefing to their military Area Commanders, Our irregular warfare units must operate as a disciplined fighting force in close co-ordi­nation with the professional vanguard of the Bangla Desh Liberation Army who will deploy them according to plan.

 

The military part of the struggle is however only one aspect. The war for survival

must also go on within Bangla Desh. We therefore invite all administrators, technicians and intellectuals and any other person anxious to Join in the Liberation struggle to come to the liberated areas and put their services at the disposal of the Government of Bangla Desh. A variety of tasks are ahead in the struggle requiring various skills and each in his own way can make a valuable contribution to the fight. We particularly invite all I political leaders of all political parties of Bangla Desh to join us in a united struggle against the aggressor. Our struggle today rises above conventional political boundaries and must be seen as the struggle of the 75 million people of Bangla Desh for protecting their freedom.

 

There should be no collaboration with the army of occupation. If any self-styled leader thinks that he can, under the cover of Martial Law, rise up from the political grave where he was consigned by the 75 million people on 7th December, 1970, he does so at his peril. There can be no Quislings in Bangla Desh and those who are so blinded by fear or treachery to play this role, will be destroyed by the people themselves.

 

We must however remember that this is a time of war and it is not possible to ensure that normal economic life will remain undisturbed. In the face of possible shortage we impress on all citizens of Bangla Desh to exercise self discipline and maximum austerity in their daily habits. Shopkeepers and traders are asked to avoid hoarding and black­marketing and as far as possible to keep the prices of daily necessities within the means of the common people.

 

There can now be no doubt about the outcome of the final struggle. Victory is ' ° ours, earned by our own courage and sacrifice. This is now being gradually realised ' by the enemy. They thought it would be an easy victory and that Bengalis would be quickly intimidated by the sight of modern weapons. That we should withstand their murderous attack and now fight back has upset their well laid plans. Cut them off from all sources of foodstuffs. With all communications with their headquarters in Dacca cut off by the people, their sole source for supplies and reinforcements is through airdrops. These are facing exhaustion due to lack of aviation fuel and the coming of the Norwester season which makes flying dangerous. They face gradual isolation in a hostile sea which threatens to overrun them any day and signs of demoralisation and panic are visible in their desperate attempts to use planes to cause needless destruction in the liberated areas.

 

The world community is also beginning to sit up and take notice of this major con­flagration raging in the world's eighth largest country-the People's Republic of Bangla Desh. No longer does the Islamabad Government's lies about enforcing law and order in Dacca and the attainment of normalcy carry any conviction. As journalists and pri­vate citizens escape from the horrors of war-ravaged Bangla Desh, they bring tales of war, atrocity, massacre, loot and terror inflicted by Yahya's murderous hordes. As journalists travel freely in the liberated regions they bear witness to the slaughter and destruction and confirm the heroic resistance of the people of Bangla Desh.

 

Already the U.S.S.R and India have taken notice of the genocide and the U.S.S.R. has urged Pakistan to desist from its acts of repression. Even Britain has taken cog­nisance of the conflagration whilst Ceylon and Burma have responded to world opinion by refusing refuelling rights to Pakistani planes carrying their cargo of death to Dacca.

 

Whilst there is still talk in some countries of this being an internal affair of Pakistan, it is becoming evident that the massacre of 75 million people and the attempt to suppress their struggle for freedom is now an international issue of major dimensions which threatens the conscience as much as the peace of the region. The Government of Bangla Desh has already used the services of patriotic Bengalis abroad to bring our plight to the notice of the world. We will soon send out our own emissaries from Bangla Desh to the capitals of the World to seek diplomatic recognition and assistance in our struggle for freedom and survival.

 

We appeal to our beleaguered brothers and sisters in the occupied territories who live day and night under the shadow of death and dishonour from the savages who call themselves the Pakistan Army to take courage and have faith in our cause and the strength of the Liberation Army. Those who wish to serve us, come out and join the struggle. Those who must of necessity stay on, we send a message of hope and inspiration that victory will be ours, Inshallah.

 

The battle will not be long because our strength multiplies daily as our plight gets wider recognition in the world. But we can expect much blood to be shed by these but­chers and much wanton destruction and pillage before they are wiped out by the Libe­ration Army.

 

We must, therefore, look ahead to the task of reconstruction and the rebuilding of a new Bangla Desh on the ruins of East Pakistan.

 

We must in this task never forget that this has been a people's war in the truest sense of the word and that had it not been for the courage, patriotism and faith of the common man in the cause of a Free Bangla Desh we would never be able to enjoy the fruits of independence. We must therefore build a new world for the toiling masses of Bangla Desh, free from exploitation of man by man. In this new world, we promise freedom from hunger, disease, illiteracy and unemployment. To this task, we want to mobilise the unlimited energy and dedication of 75 million Bengalis who have secured our freedom with their blood and must now rebuild Bangla Desh with their sweat, into a modern, democratic society of and for the people, based on the principles of social justice and equality.

                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                          "JOI  BANGLA"

                                                                                                                                    "JOI INDEPENDENT BANGLA DESH"

 

 

Source: Bangla Desh Documents vol 1, Page no: 282 - 286