পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/২৪৪

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2 | 2 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ ৮৭। পাকিস্তান-ভারত যুদ্ধ ইভনিং ষ্টার ৩০ সেপ্টেম্বর, ১৯৭১ THE EVENING STAR (WASHINGTON), SEPTEMBER 30, 1971 PAKISTANI CHAOS EDGES INDIA NEARER TO WAR By Crosby S. Noyes With each day that passes, the chances of reaching a political settlement, between East and West Pakistan decrease and the danger of war between Pakistan and India grows. Despite the claims of the government in Islamabad, the military situation in East Pakistan is anything but under control. The repressive efforts of the army which began on March 25 to crush the Bengali movement toward autonomy go on. Today, according to reports, whole villages are being systematically destroyed. And each time they are. Other whole villages are abandoned, their inhabitants joining the flood of refugees fleeing toward India. Again, despite the claims of West Pakistani officials, government administration in the eastern province has virtually ceased to exist. In theory, an appointed Civilian government has been installed for several weeks under the leadership of Dr. A.M. Malik. In fact, the army is the only authority that exists, with martial law in force throughout the whole country. Meanwhile, the guerrilla resistance movement is growing in size and effectiveness. With India supplying sanctuary and support, the "Mukti Bahini" or Liberation Forces, of the Free Bengal movement are stepping up their harassment of government forces and inflicting growing casualties. Reprisals inflicted on unarmed" civilians only make matters worse, creating now freedom fighters along with refugees. In India the situation is rapidly becoming intolerable. It is now estimated that more than 8 million East Pakistanis, most of them Hindus, are jammed into refugee camps along the border, adding enormously to the problems of India's normally unstable and restive eastern frontier region. The sheer number of these refugees increasing at a rate of about 50,000 a week imposes a hopeless burden in India. And with the possibility of wide-spread famine in East Pakistan, the refugees' flood, if anything, is expected to increase in the months to come. Inevitably, the pressure on the Indian government to take some decisive action is building up. Until now, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has moved with restraint, carefully avoiding any move, such as the recognition of Bangladesh (Bengal Nation) that might provoke a third found of fighting between India and Pakistan. The Indians are confident enough of their military capability if war with Pakistan should erupt, they believe they would win it and they also believe that the major powers with interests in the area-Russia. China and the United States would have the good sense not to get involved. But when it comes to what might result from such a war in either Hast or West Pakistan they are a good deal less confident. The Indians are taking no comfort in the clear signs of a