| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| পশ্চিমবঙ্গের বাংলাদেশের প্রবাসী বুদ্ধিজীবিগণ কর্তৃক কানাডীয় পার্লামেণ্টার প্রতিনিধিদলের কাছে প্রদত্ত স্মারকলিপি |
পশ্চিমবঙ্গে প্রবাসী বুদ্ধিজীবি |
৭ জুলাই, ১৯৭১ |
MEMORANDUM TO THE VISITING MEMBERS OF THE CANADIA
PARLIAMENT FROM REFUGEE INTELLECTUALS OF BANGLADESH
Sirs,
We take this opportunity to express our deep sense of gratitude for the moral support and sympathy shown by the Government and people of Canada for the cause of Bangladesh. We deeply appreciate your government's embargo on arms supply to the military overlords in Pakistan and also for your advocacy of a political settlement acceptable to the people of Bangladesh. We gratefully acknowledge your contribution to the relief undertaken for more than seven million unfortunate refugees who have taken shelter in India.
You are no doubt aware of the circumstances in which the People's Republic of Bangladesh emerged as the eighth largest sovereign state of the world on April 12, 1971.
From its very inception Pakistan was an unusual state, unique in modern history in that its two wings were separated by more than one thousand miles of foreign territory- with a common religious belief as the only binding- factor. The Pakistan Resolution- of 1940 which spelled out the aspirations of the Muslims of undivided India conceived of “Sovereign Stales” in the two Muslim majority areas of the sub continent.
In their sincere desire and enthusiasm to build a unified state the people of East Pakistan surrendered their right to sovereignty as visualized in that resolution and accepted the structure of one Pakistan. They tried to make- this dream work but, did not succeed owing to (the) undemocratic manoeuvres. Taking advantage of the goodwill of the people of East Bengal. They, evolved a political and economic system in which the Bengalis had an inferior position. The misery, suffering, and exploitation of the people of Bangladesh by the West Pakistani ruling clique over the last twenty three years finally brought home to them the realization that they could not survive with honor and dignity unless autonomy of the regions as visualized in the Pakistan Resolution of 1940 became a political reality. The six point programme of Awami League formulated by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sought to end regional exploitation while preserving the unity of Pakistan. The massive support given to this programme by the people of Bangladesh in the first general elections held in Pakistan in December 1970” was the last desperate attempt by them to force a realization on the ruling circles of West Pakistan of the seriousness of the situation. But the-military rulers never meant to give up their colonial exploitation of Bangladesh nor were they prepared to let democracy function. The tragic happenings since March 25, 1971 have proved that the military rulers want to hold on to power at all costs. The declaration of independence by the people of Bangladesh was therefore the only course left open to them.
