পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (প্রথম খণ্ড).pdf/৮৬

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ প্রথম খণ্ড
৬১

 Eastern Pakistan, Sir, is fortunate in having a large body of sea-faring population inhabiting the districts of Sylhet, Chittagong, Noakhali, Comilla, Dacca, Mymensingh and Faridpur. For years these districts have been supplying crew for all Ocean-going steams for the port of Calcutta, the Port of Bombay and even for the port of Mombassa. I hope. Sir, full opportunity should be taken of utilizing the services of these men in training for our Navy. Concentration, Sir, of the training Establishments in Karachi in my view, is hindrance, a drawback to the full utilization of our available manpower for the Navy. I hope. Sir, that in locating training centers, the Defence Department will bear all these considerations in mind..

 Mr. Azizuddin Ahmed (East Bengal: Muslim):... Sir, it is quite true that Pakistan as it is situated now requires a large defence force and a strong army, navy and also Air Force, and so the bulk of our revenue should go for Defence, but Sir, when I go into the Budget and find that nothing has been done for the isolated part of Pakistan, namely, the Eastern Bengal, which is surrounded on three sides by foreign Dominion and on the South by the Bay of Bengal. I feel really disappointed. Sir, it has been said that at one time Bengal was neglected and the other day our esteemed colleague, Begum Shaiesta Ikramullah, remarked that East Bengal is, if late, talked if patronizingly. It seems. Sir, that in the present scheme of things. East Bengal is really Very much neglected. Our friends over here who are in the compact area of Sind, N.W.F.P., Baluchistan and the Punjab do not give much time or thought, it seems, to the isolated position of East Bengal which is cut off from this part of Pakistan by at least 1,500 miles and surrounded on all sides by foreign, and even at times hostile, Dominion and the Bay of Bengal. Sir, I do not know what my friend, the Honourable the Defence Minister, may have to say - it may be a State Secret - for the defence of Eastern Pakistan, but. Sir, the people should be taken into confidence so that Eastern Pakistan may not be a sort of temptation to other people for aggression or for attack. So, Sir, this part of the Budget has been really very much disappointing to us, the people of Eastern Bengal.

 Then, Sir, a lot of revenue of Pakistan certainly comes from the Jute Duty, but, Sir, in the present Budget we do not find any provision whatsoever for improving the port of Chittagong, so that this item of our duty might be increased. Jetties are there they require a lot of improvement but I feel, Sir, that the Honorable the Finance Minister altogether forgot Chittagong and its improvement for the purpose on exporting jute and to add additional revenue to our coffers.

 Then, Sir, what is the provision we find in the Budget for improving the lot of the people who grow jute. The only luxury, Sir that they enjoy is hookah. They have got no Cinema, they have no theatre; no club life; the only luxury, Sir that these poor people enjoy is the hookah which also is being taxed...

 Then, there is another luxury which the poor agriculturist enjoys and that is Pan. That, Sir, is also being heavily taxed, so that the poor man's lot is really unenviable. The poor men had already been faced with difficulties in getting kerosene and the heavy taxation which has been put on kerosene adds to them...