বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বাদশ খণ্ড)/২২
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| ‘বাংলাদেশ প্রশ্নে ভারতের ভূমিকা বিশ্বে প্রশংসিত হচ্ছে’-প্রধানমন্ত্রীর সাথে আলোচনাকালে শিল্পমন্ত্রীর অভিজ্ঞতার বর্ণনা | দৈনিক ‘স্টেটসম্যান’ | ১৮ই জুন, ১৯৭১ |
Moinul Huq Chowdhury Tells P.M.:
RESTRAINT SHOWN BY INDIA APPRECIATED ABROAD
(From Our Special Representative)
NEW DELHI June 17—Mr Moinul Huq Chowdhury, the Minister of Industrial Development, who returned here last night from a tour of some European Countries as the Prime Minister’s special envoy to explain the country’s position on Bangladesh, is understood to have reported to Mrs. Gandhi on the outcome of his visit which took him to Austria, Hungary, Sweden, Holland and Italy.
Mr. Chowdhury met the Prime Minister this evening and is believed to have conveyed to her the general impression that opinion in these countries was greatly appreciative of the restraint shown by India in the face of the serious problems posed to her by the influx of six million refugees.
He was also assured that in consultation with their allies, these countries would do everything possible to bring about a political solution of the Bangladesh issue.
During his whirlwind tour of these countries, Mr. Chowdhury had talks with Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and senior officials. He discussed with them the serious economic, social and political repercussions which India was confronted with as a result of the refugee influx. He tried to convince them that unless the international reminded them of the responsibility of the world community to look after the multitude, of people who had crossed into India.
Is was brought to the notice of these countries by Mr. Chowdhury that Pakistan was trying to get rid of its population at the expense of India. This constituted a serious kind of aggression. The idea apparently was to cut down the size of the population of East Pakistan so that their majority was reduced crippling them, politically and economically and also to eliminate Last Bengali intellectuals, politicians and the Hindu minority.
He urged the concerned Government “to most emphatically” ask Pakistan to stop the military action in Bangladesh and seek solution at the political level. One of the points he made was that allegiance of a people could not be enforced at gunpoint. To that extent he reminded these countries, that genocide by itself was an international problem and therefore of concern to all.
To compel Pakistan to seek a political solution and create conditions in which the six million refugees are enabled “to return home in honor and peace” he suggested that all military and economic aid to that country should be stopped immediately. The arms given to Pakistan for defense against external aggression were being used to murder innocent and unarmed citizens. All humanitarian aid given to Pakistan should also be supervised by the donor countries of an international agency to ensure that the relief reached the people. In this contest, he pointed out that the speedboats offered as aid after the tragic cyclone in East Bengal were now being used to kill the people there.