Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad: I am quoting from it. In 1947-48 East Pakistan's contribution to the Central revenue was 28 per cent, in 1948-49 it came down to 26 per cent; in 1949-50, to 25 per cent; in 1950-51, to 24.57 per cent; in 1951-52 to 24.7 per cent; in 1952-53 to 20.8 per cent; in 1953-54 to 19.4 percent; in 1954-55 to 14.7per cent; in 1955-56 to 12.47 per cent.
Honourable Deputy Speaker: Where have you taken all these figures from?
Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad: From this book.
Honourable Deputy Speaker: From this book?
Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad: Yes Sir. I leave the book with you and in the meantime let me proceed according to the calculations. You will find that for coming down from 28 per cent to 12 per cent,' we have taken only nine years. In the course of nine years our contribution from East Pakistan to Central Revenues has been reduced from 28 to 12 per cent. By this process how long do you think East Pakistan will take to come down to zero-only another eight years, Sir. If this process goes on in the year of our Lord 1965 East Pakistan shall come to zero. East Pakistan will then contribute a zero to the Central Revenues. This is arithmetic; this is the result of geography. How does it happen Sir? Because, as I have said it must happen due to the geography. Our geography cannot be altered. This geography is the hardest fact to be taken into consideration in framing our Constitution; geography is the basis on which a country is located, a “language is described, a state is demarcated and a people is defined Sir, it is an extraordinary situation that we are confronted with
Now, Sir, according to the figure that I have given you, if calculated, it comes to this that people of East Pakistan in eight years got from Central Revenues 2 crores, or equivalent of 10 rupees per head which comes to Re. 1-2 per head per year.
Honourable Deputy Speaker: How did you arrive at that figure?
Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad: 42 crores rupees divided by 4 crores 21 lakhs people, etc., pure mathematics, Sir. People of West Pakistan during the same period have got 235 crore rupees in eight years which is equal to Rs. 32 per head per year.
Honourable Deputy Speaker: What?
Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad: Rs. 32 per head per year. Sir, this is the result of geography; rather this is the punishment of geography. Geography must assert and must have its own way. Sir, you have heard so much of Bengal, which was known in history as “Golden Bengal" and which was said to be full of honey and milk. Where has it gone after the achievement of Pakistan? Has it been so poor a country that it has contributed to the Central Revenues only this meagre sum of 12 per cent.
Honourable Deputy Speaker: Are you putting this question to me?
Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad: No Sir. People may ask me this question. Had the learned Speaker been present they would certainly have put this question to him also.
