পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (পঞ্চম খণ্ড).pdf/৪৮১

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457 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ পঞ্চম খন্ড This popular inclination for secularism frightened the regime that desperately looked for yet another way to revive the old scourge. The Indo-Pak war over Kashmir that came only a year later was a direct outcome of this policy, A section of the intellectuals were bought over by the regime to rouse popular frenzy against India. But the people were not at all convinced about the necessity of a war over a piece of land that they have never seen. Shastri Government's decision to not to attack East Bengal reinforced the justification further. The credit for this steady growth of secularism in a people that only 23 years ago thought in terms of nothing else but religion should particularly go to the popular political parties. The Awami League initiated the march of sanity when the party decided to introduce joint electorate system for Pakistan and dropped the word "Muslim" from its nomenclature. This also quickly won over a large section of the minority community for its membership. Other left parties also steadfastly held on to secular political concept. During the election campaign of 1970 rightist parties with clear backing of Yahya regime and foreign reactionary forces tried to revive communalism. They were thoroughly beaten, One might ask-can there be a revival of communalism once Bangladesh becomes a free country with a Muslim majority? The answer is no because through the liberation struggle most of the built-in economic antagonisms of the society are being eliminated. A new beginning would be made where ability and need would be the only criteria of economic distribution. Neither religious denominations nor the social set up that existed prior to March 25 would have any relevance to the processes of the new State. ৫ জুলাই, ১৯৭১ BRITISH DELEGATION SLATES YAHYA, TIKKA The British Parliamentary delegation that visited the occupied areas of Bangladesh last week has not only overcome the traditional British passion for understatements but has come out with a clear indictment against the law of jungle that has been introduced by Pakistan's military regime over the land of Bangladesh. Arthur Bottomly, a former Labor Minister, and the leader of the delegation tried his best to remain dispassionate despite the signs of horror that he and his fellow members witnessed during their army-conducted tour of certain areas of the occupied zone. While in India, although his teammate conservative M, P. Toby Jessel emphatically denounced Yahya regime for the genocide he and his army committed against the unarmed people of Bangladesh. Mr. Bottomly remained satisfied with somewhat noncommittal euphemisms. But as soon as he reached London he woke up at least partially to the great responsibility that he and his team had laid on them. He did not mince words. He said: "President Yahya's administration had totally failed in Bangladesh." He further said, "this is clear, we are convinced of it," Mr. Isonomy in a statement on behalf of the team put Tikka Khan, the