বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড)/৪৭
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| স্বাধীন বাংলার সংগ্রামে বৃটিশ শ্রমিক দলের সমর্থন জানিয়ে মিঃ হেরাল্ড উইলসনের পক্ষে লিখিত একটি চিঠি | ব্যক্তিগত চিঠি | ১১ অক্টোবর, ১৯৭১ |
HOUSE OF COMMONS
London, SW 1.
Dear Mr. Ali,
I am writing on behalf of Mr. Wilson to thank you for your letter of the 29 September.
As you must know, Mr. Wilson is immensely distressed by the tragic situation in East Pakistan. Mr. Wilson has asked me to apologies to you for the delay, in replying to your letter, but as I am sure you will understand, the pressure of work has been very great recently.
When Sir Alec Douglas-Home made his statement on the subject of aid to East Pakistan last June, the Rt Hon. Denis Healey, speaking for the Opposition, welcomed the fact that an additional 5 million direct aid had been given to the Indian Government on top of the existing aid ceiling, and also in addition to the £1 million to U Thant's appeal. Mr Healey also agreed strongly with the decision not to give any further aid to Pakistan until there was convincing progress towards a political settlement. He recommended that the best way to achieve such progress would be to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and to negotiate with him.
As you will know, it was on Mr. Wilson's insistence that there was a special debate on East Pakistan in the House of Commons on 9 June, and that he stressed the urgency of the matter and reproached the Government that in spite of pressure by Mr. Wilson during several preceding weeks they had made no report on the situation. In this debate the position of the Opposition was presented by the Rt Hon George Thomson who also urged the need for a political settlement and that Sheikh Mujib should be involved in this effort. A settlement in our view would have to be acceptable to the majority of the people of East Pakistan.
I am enclosing a copy of a resolution passed by the International Committee of the Labor Party in June, expressing the concern of the National Executive Committee, also a resolution passed by the Labor Party Conference last week. When Sir, Alec Douglas-Home made a further statement in response to a request from the Opposition, The Rt Hon Denis Healey specifically asked the Foreign Secretary to take the initiative to ensure that the United Nations charges itself with control of the relief and political aspects of the situation in Pakistan.
I hope you will agree that the Labor Opposition has made its position clear. Again, thank you for writing
Yours sincerely,
Research Assistant,