বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড
Bangladesh has called our bluff. The people of what was East Pakistan, who represented the majority of the State of Pakistan, voted to be a democracy and to be led by moderate middle-class Western-styled politicians. Foolishly perhaps, they chose our way in their pursuit of freedom, in spite of problems we have never had to face.
And for this reason alone, they are being exterminated and enslaved in a manner reminiscent of Adolf Hitler, over whom the world went to war. But, of course, he was exterminating Europeans.
We in the West have no intention of going to war over Bangladesh. Instead, through our elected government, we have contributed what amounts to one week's survival pocket money to the refugees of Bangladesh, now petrified in India must provide the rest.
It is a cliche but it remains the truth of today: that there will be peace and civilization and “progress" throughout the planet only when the rich minority us-begin to close the gap between ourselves and the poor majority. We have the opportunity of beginning to do that in Bangladesh; for this is a cause in which we may locate our lost twentieth century soul. Oh yes, and save, some human lives.
DR. R. C. HICKMAN, MRCP, SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND, BENGAL
Tens of thousands of children have already died in the refugee camps in the Indian border area. I saw worse malnutrition in these camps than in former Biafra. Several hundred thousand children now urgently need supplementary high protein food. They seem unlikely to receive help in time to save their lives.
PETER DUNN, PHOTOGRAPHER, SUNDAY TLMES
I was overwhelmed. I, who have travelled the disaster spots of the world for many years-I was completely overwhelmed,
press photographer can usually tell himself that he is doing some good no matter how gruesome the photograph he is taking. But in Bengal this panacea was denied me. I felt completely and utterly inadequate. In fact, whenever I had any free time I went out with the War on Want team helping them to inject people against cholera.
BRUCE DOUGLAS MANN, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
The situation in Bengal is possibly the greatest threat to peace in the world today; it has certainly created the greatest concentration of human misery. The millions of deaths, which are likely to occur in the coming months, both among the 8 million refugees in India and the 79 million people still in East Bengal, are not inevitable. Money and aid, which the rich countries of the world can easily afford, would save lives on an enormous scale; but only the withdrawal of the West Pakistan army will end the murder, terror and oppression and enable normal conditions to be restored. Until world influence is exerted to compel that withdrawal the refugees will not return and war and oppression in Bengal will continue.
ALEXE HENDRY, FINANCIAL TIMES
The plump nocturnal rats that scampered around the door at Dacca International Hotel looked better fed and healthier than most of the stricken delta people in the first few weeks
