BANGLA DESH BECOMES A REPUBLIC

THOUSANDS SEE BIRTH OF A NEW STATE

Appeal to World Leaders for Positive Help Report of declaration by
Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, on April 17, 1971.

 

 

Amidst thunderous cheers from a 10,000 strong crowd which included contingents of the EPR. Ansars and Mujahids. The Democratic Republic of Bangla Desh .a proclaimed here this morning as a formally constituted state to be run by a form of Government.

 

The Prime -Minister, Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, declared that the Government's writ ran through 90 per cent of the territory, except for the cantonments and a few­ administrative headquarters which were being held by the Pakistan army. About 50 foreign journalists watched and recorded the proceedings.

 

The proclamation named Syed Nazrul Islam as a Vice- President, but explained ;hat if the President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, "is absent, or cannot function or is incapacitated ", Mr. Islam would carry on the functions of the President.

 

Pending the formulation of a new Constitution, the President would be the head of the armed forces and the sole legislative authority. He would appoint the Prime Minister and his colleagues, levy taxes and authorize expenditure and would convene or adjourn a Constituent Assembly.

 

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The proclamation explained why this step had been necessary and affirmed that this was being done in accordance with the mandate of the people as reflected in the results of the last elections. The objective of the new state and " nation " would be to ensure human dignity and social justice. This, Mr. Islam said had been sought to be achieved peacefully by the state's 75 million people over the last 23 years. But they had been frustrated by the feudal interests and the military junta.

 

"Win We Must"

 

Their present struggle Mr. Islam said, was for political, cultural and eco­nomic emancipation of the people of Bangla Desh as well as for their very existence and "win we must today, tomorrow or the day after."

 

He urged foreign Journalists to convey his message to their respective countries that for the sake of human liberty, dignity and values as well as for the sake of democracy, big and small powers throughout the world, especially those in Africa and Asia should recognize his Government and "do something positive to alleviate the miseries of the Bangla Desh people".

 

The Prime Minister went a step further. He said in the past Pakistan had secured arms from other countries mainly for the defence of the country and at a very heavy cost in terms of hard labour by the people to earn foreign exchange. It was tragic that these arms were now being used against the unarmed people of Bangla Desh.

 

He urged these countries not only to stop fresh supplies but also to ensure that no further use was made of these lethal weapons against the people of Bangla Desh.

 

Simultaneously, he appealed for recognition of his Government and arms assistance from friendly countries. (The Foreign Minister, Mr. Khondkar Mustafa Ahmed, is expected to leave on a tour of different countries in the next three to four days.)

 

Colonel A. G. Osmani who has been named the new commander-in-Chief' of the Bangla Desh forces, told reporters that he suspected that the Pakistan army had even been using the helicopters donated to Bangla Desh last year for flood relief. According to his information the army was not supposed to have had more than two helicopters at its  disposal in the beginning of March this year.

 

Today's formal function at Mujibnagar by the Bangla Desh Government had a touch of drama about it. Actually the ceremony took place in Bhaberpara village which is located in Meherpur subdivision of Kushtia district and is 18 miles north-west of Chuadanga which has been under the Pakistan Army since yester­day. To mark the occasion, the Prime Minister renamed the village as Mujib­nagar.

 

 

Close to Border

 

It is within a mile of the Indian Border Security Force's outpost at Hridaypur. When asked why the function should be held so close to the Indian border, Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed said it was only to ensure "your and our safety " and then pointing to a road passing by the dais he added: "You can go deep into Bangla Desh along this route uninterrupted". He himself had followed the route to reach the meeting place.

 

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At Mujibnagar, Mr. Islam was given the salute by a contingent of armed ansars. A contingent of the EPR later joined the gathering and presented arms to him. The function which began with the singing of a popular Bengali song ­"Sonar Bangla amy to-maye Bhalobashi ". (Oh, Dear Bengal I love you.)

 

It was attended by all the Prime Minister's Cabinet colleagues including Captain Mansoor Ali and Mr. A. N. M. Kamaruzzaman whose portfolios have yet to be announced and a large number of members of parliament and the Assembly. The proceedings began with a recitation from the Qoran and ended with such slogans as "Bengalis, take to arms and burn the Punjabi hordes ". The proclamation in Bengali was read by Mr. Yusuf Ali, Chief Whip and an Awami League M.L.A.

 

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The Commander-in-Chief of the Bangla Desh Mukti Fouj, Col. Osmani, said if they received arms aid and other help from various countries, they could settle scores with the West Pakistani army soon.

 

" Otherwise the war will go on, may be for generations as we are determined in our mission", Col. Osmani told a group of Indian and Foreign correspondents.

 

He said the aim of the West Pakistani army was to destroy the will of the people and to subjugate them. To this purpose the army had been using every thing it had, including 17 inch guns from the warships in Chittagong port. "Never in history has there been such a godless army".

 

Col. Osmani said that about a 100,000 of men, women and children had been killed by the Pakistani army according to a conservative estimate. The casualty of the Mukti Foul was in four figures, he added.

 

(THE SUNDAY STATESMAN, New Delhi-April 18, 1971)

Source: Bangladesh Documents, vol - 1   , Page no: 289 -291