পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ষষ্ঠ খণ্ড).pdf/৬৭৭

641 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ষষ্ঠ খণ্ড শিরোনাম ংবাদপত্র তারিখ Editorial Bangladesh News letter 1 July, 1971 Bangladesh Counts On You Chicago : No. 4 Editorial BANGLADESH COUNTS ON YOU Three months have passed since the brutal army operation began in Bangladesh. During this time hundreds of thousands of defenseless Bengalis have sacrificed their lives at the altar of freedom and justice. A conservative estimate puts the number of those killed by Pakistan Army close to half a million. Six million people have been forced to leave their homes for the safety and protection on the other side of the border. A hundred thousand more continue pour into India everyday with tales of army brutalities, rape, torture, arson and killing. Thousand fall dead on the way from fatigue and exhaustion. And several more thousands have died from cholera and other diseases and continue to die every day in the overcrowded camps in India. An exodus of this magnitude is probably unprecedented in human history. Within its own limitations, the government and the people of India have done a super-human job in taking care of these helpless millions of refugees. We owe a deep sense of gratitude to them for coming to our aid at the time of our greatest need. Within Bangladesh Bengalis are scarifying their lives to ensure that we can live as free and proud people for all times to come. The tales of their courage and determination are being documented everyday in the press. But what are we doing for our motherland at time of her greatest need? We, who are living in the comfort and luxury of Western life, far removed from the scene of death, disease and destruction may ask ourselves: Have we given our utmost for the sake of our country? Individually and collectively, we must put every bit of pressure on the officials of this country to stop all aid to Pakistan, and take all possible measures to create strong public opinion in this country against any aid to Pakistan. Secondly, Bangladesh in badly in need of foreign currency. A dollar goes a long way to help our cause. Let us pledge that from every pay check we will keep only an amount to cover bare necessities and the rest will go to help Bangladesh. Can we afford to do otherwise?