পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ষষ্ঠ খণ্ড).pdf/৭০২

666 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ষষ্ঠ খণ্ড শিরোনাম ংবাদপত্র তারিখ Editor's Note & Suggested Bangladesh Newsletter 20 August, 1971 Course of Actions Chicago : No. 7 EDITOR'S NOTE Since the publication of our last Newsletter some important developments have taken place in this country vis-à-vis the Bangladesh situation. 1) The House has passed the Gallagher amendment to suspend all military and economic assistance to Pakistan. This was possible largely due to the efforts of all the Bangladesh groups in this country and due to many of our American friends. The Bangladesh Information Center coordinated the lobbying efforts in the Capitol Hill. We congratulate all those who helped in the lobbying and without whose untiring efforts our cause would not have received such wide support in the house. Our next hurdle is the U.S. Senate. Already there are 32 Senators who have cosponsored the Saxbe-Church Amendment in the Senate. There are a few other Senators who have not co-sponsored but who have expressed their support to cut all aid to Pakistan. We do not foresee any serious trouble for the amendment when the Senate considers it sometime in late September or early October. However we cannot relent in our efforts till the Senate acts upon it. This will require a large number of volunteers to lobby in the Senate in September and October. We urge you all to start making arrangements right away to make yourselves available in Washington, D. C. during that time. The need may also arise to lobby in U. N. when the General Assembly meets in October. 2) Another significant development is the defection of all the Bengali diplomats and Staff from the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the Pakistan Mission at the U. N. on August 4, 1971. we congratulate all those who defected and declared their allegiance to the People's Republic of Bangladesh. We hope this will generate the long-awaited movement which will see all the Bengalis still serving the government of Pakistan to similarly defect and declare allegiance to the Government of Bangladesh. 3) The significance of the defection was enhanced by the almost simultaneous arrival of Mr. Mustafizur Rahman Siddiqui in the U.S. Capital as the ambassador of the Government of Bangladesh. Mr. M. R. Siddiqui, a member of the National Assembly from Chittagong, arrived in Washington, D.C. on August 6, 1971. He is now in the process of getting acquainted with various Bengali in this country. He has already given a press conference in New York and appeared on various TV programs. A Bangladesh mission will be opened by him in Washington, D.C. within the next week or two. We welcome Mr. Siddiqui and extend to him our congratulations and whole-hearted support.