AMRITA BAZAR PATRIKA, APRIL 20, 1971
BANGLADESH MISSION TO WORK FOR RECOGNITION
By A Staff Reporter
Mr. M. Hossain Ali, now head of the Bangladesh Mission in Calcutta, is most likely to be named within a day or two as the High Commissioner for Bangladesh to India.
There was a new life in the Bangladesh Mission office in Calcutta on Monday and new files were opened, the subject matter being “recognition” to the independent, sovereign and democratic Republic of Bangladesh and its newly formed Government.
According to a reliable source, letters written to the heads of the State of several important countries of the world are now awaiting for the signature of the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. An emissary from this Mission is likely to meet the Foreign Minister in Bangladesh today (Tuesday).
Meanwhile, the Pak High Commissioner in India is understood to have sent a telex message to the National Grindlays Bank, Calcutta, asking it not to allow Mr. Hossain Ali to draw any money from the bank. Similar advice was also reported to have been communicated to the National Bank of Pakistan in London which used to operate as the clearing house for the Pakistan sterling accounts.
In another telex message the Pak High Commissioner is understood to have told Mr. Hossain Ali not to use the Circus Avenue Building as the Bangladesh Mission office.
The officials here are understood to have decided to ignore all such threats. After all they do not need any remittance from the Government of Pakistan, a source stated.
Mr. Hossain Ali said that he was “reorganizing and re-orienting the function of the Mission so as to bring it in tune with ‘the needs and aspirations of Bangladesh”.
He said some representatives of Bangladesh visited the Mission on Monday mainly to congratulate him on his decision to switch his allegiance to Bangladesh.
Ready For Hardship
He said all 60 Bengali staff worked “enthusiastically” and were ready to accept any cuts in their remunerations. “We have to observe austerity. We cannot live in luxury”, he added.
Mr. Ali said the 30 West Pakistani employees did not report for duty and he could not say if they had sought repatriation. The mission would continue to function from the same building.
He would shortly contact leaders of the Bangladesh Government to seek their guidance.
People were pouring into the mission this evening with garlands and bouquets to felicitate Mr. Ali and his staff. Among the distinguished visitors to the mission was Chief Justice P.B. Mukherji of Calcutta High Court.
A large crowd stood outside the mission singing patriotic songs including Bangladesh national anthem “Oh Golden Bengal. I love thee dearly”.
Mr. Ali also said that his first task would be “to secure recognition of the Bangladesh Government from other nations”.
He told UNI that only after recognition could the question of arms aid from these nations be taken up.
Sophisticated weapons were very essential to accelerate the liberation movement in Bangladesh.
Mr. Ali emphasized that the newly formed Government was the only representative Government of Bangladesh.
Whither Mujib
In reply to a question, he said his information was that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was free till March 28. After that he had no definite intimation about the whereabouts on the Sheikh.
Mr. Ali warmly thanked the people of West Bengal for their support.
Radio Pakistan had till late Monday night blacked out the story that Mr. Ali transferred his allegiance to the new Government of Bangladesh.
The radio did not either take note of the hoisting by him of Bangladesh ‘flag atop the Pakistani mission replacing the Pakistani flag.
Our Special Representative writes from New Delhi: Enquiries made at various levels here show that there was no move either from the Pakistani High Commissioner in New- Delhi or any other Pakistan authority regarding situation obtaining at Calcutta. So far as the Government of India were concerned the status quo remains unless it is revoked or changed by either side.
A dig into international history shows that such things are not new. In Congo there are two Cambodian missions at work. In the Latin American countries such things reportedly happen almost once every week.
If a concrete request to do this or that comes from any side in regard to the happening at the Calcutta’s former Pak Deputy High Commissioner’s office the Government of India it is believed, would act as the situation calls for action’ at that time considering the exact situation obtaining there at the time.
It is also likely that the External Affairs Ministry of the Government of India will continue to consider that all the previous employees who enjoyed diplomatic immunity would continue to enjoy the same rights unless some information challenging or changing that comes lo the Indian Government.
Fictitious Reports
Meanwhile, official sources in New Delhi described on Monday as “entirely fictitious” reports that the Cabinet of the newly formed Republic of Bangladesh was operating from Calcutta or its headquarters was in India, adds PTI.
These reports were without any foundation, the sources said.
Official sources were commenting on foreign news reports alleging their presence in Indian territory.