পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড).pdf/৬৯০

663 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ দ্বিতীয় খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ প্রেসিডেন্ট ইয়াহিয়া কর্তৃক জাতীয় পরিষদের মর্নিং নিউজ ২ মার্চ, ১৯৭১ অধিবেশন স্থগিত YAHYA PUTS OFF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SESSION Text of President Yahya Khan's statement on March 1, 1971 The following is the text of President Yahya Khan's statement: “Today, Pakistan faces her gravest political crisis. I, therefore, consider it necessary to apprise you of the situation and the action that I propose to take to resolve our present difficulties. But before I do that let me recount to you the steps that I took from the day that the responsibility for the administration of this country devolved on me to transfer power to the elected representatives of the people. In my very first address to the nation, I had indicated the need for the smooth transfer of power. Since then we have moved forward step by step towards the achievement of this aim. In spite of there being Martial Law in the country I did not ban the political parties and in fact permitted full political activity with effect from the first of January 1970, Later in March 1970 the Legal Framework Order under which elections were to be held, was duly notified. All other work, including delimitation of constituencies and preparation of electoral rolls, was completed with speed. The election campaign which was long and arduous, ended up in, what we may all claim with pride one of the most peaceful and well-organized general elections on the basis of adult franchise. As you know, the elections were finally completed on 17" January 1971. Just prior to the elections in my address of the 3" of December, 1970, I had suggested to the leaders of the political parties that it would be useful for them to employ the period between the elections and the first session of the National Assembly in meeting each other and arriving at a consensus on the main provisions of our future constitution. I had, at the time, indicated that to be successful these meetings would call for spirit of give and take, trust in each other and realisation of the extreme importance of this particular juncture in our history. Appreciating the great significance of such exchanges of view between political leaders I tried to facilitate the process by giving them enough time to do so.