Agency reports add:
The Awami League chief said that from the allocations in the Fourth Plan which had recently been announced, it appeared that East Pakistan had not been given her due share of 56 per cent on the basis of her population. He posed a question, “If the allocations arc not properly made how you could remove the disparity?”
The meeting also said that the elected representatives of the people would have to revise the Fourth Five-Year Plan and alter it in every respect necessary to bring it into accord with those constitutional provisions which were expected to invest the Governments of federating units with full power of economic management.
The meeting referred to the shortfall of Rs. 1,100 crores in the Third Plan expenditure in East Pakistan and urged that all the previous shortfalls in the Plan expenditure be made up. It held that no annual development plan could represent meaningful steps towards revising the trend of economic disparity “unless the previous shortfalls are made up.”
Sheikh Mujib recalled how in the past East Pakistan had been exploited and described how people had suffered under successive Governments.
The Awami League chief said that his party's struggle was to create a society free from exploitation, to eliminate the exploiters and to free the toiling masses-peasants) and workers-from exploitation.
Replying to the propaganda against the six-point programme, he said that in realization would in no way harm Pakistan. “The six points will be realized and Pakistan shall also stay”, he said amidst loud cheers.
Deep-laid Conspiracy
Sheikh Mujib said that the economic situation in the country was deteriorating and that there was a deep-laid conspiracy to paralyze the economy by closing down mills and factories. Referring to the Adamjee Jute Mills riots of 1954, he said there was a similar conspiracy to create chaos and confusion to prevent the smooth transfer of power to the people. He referred to the recent closure of the Adamjee Jute Mills and asked for its immediate reopening.
The Awami League chief said that his party was not anxious to come to power, because they believed that even without coming to power the rights of the people could be realized. In this connection he referred to his party's earlier demand for representation on the basis of population and the breakup of One Unit in West Pakistan, which were ultimately realized. He also referred to their struggle for making Bengali one of the State languages.
Sheikh Mujib said that his party's struggle was to establish 'workers and peasant' rule in the country. He said that their demand for exemption of land revenue up to 25 bighas had partly been realized, when it was learnt that the Government was going to grant such exemption up to nine bighas. Awami League manifesto had promised workers share in industries, he said.
