VECERNJENOVOSTI, YUGOSLAVIA, JULY 8, 1971
NORMALCY-WITH BAYONETS
Three months after the military attack against the Bengali movement for autonomy, the first foreign journalist were allowed to enter East Pakistan, and even travel without escorts. Though the traces of destruction were removed what remained speaks for itself about previous atrocities.
The capital Dacca is still in the shadow of fear, violence and terror. The Government calls it a “normal situation” though in the street, everybody only whispers, and on the rough roads cars hardly appear. There are not many soldiers in Dacca, but the special police squads transferred from West Pakistan stop the cars and passers-by and check them carefully. Arrests are also numerous.
The “normalcy” includes very severe punishments if somebody secretly listens to radio-station Bengal, and a large numbers of shops are still closed. Number plates on cars in Bengali have been substituted by English, and in empty streets and shops people whisper that the Army still chases Bengalis, arrests them and sometimes kills them.
Though traces of tanks and rockets have been removed, the devastation and fear are visible in UK. old part of Dacca, the area inhabited by the poorest class, the most devoted followers of the Awami League. Life returns unbelievably slowly in devastated markets and dirty narrow streets, because the majority of proprietors were Hindus, who were murdered mercilessly unless they abandoned their homes in time.
Out of 6.5 million Pakistanis, who escaped to India, before pointed guns, about 4 million are Hindus. The Government decided to destroy their temples, and their houses were given to “loyal” citizen.