TAKE STEPS TOWARD POLITICAL SETTLEMENT
The Pakistani President has also said that he will release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman if the nation so desires. Well and good. But how is one to ascertain the national Will if a general election itself is thought to be far from adequate to do so? The fact remains that the Sheikh’s Awami League secured an overwhelming majority in the last National Assembly elections. What more evidence is necessary to show that people want him and his party? But, unfortunately, this electoral victory only ignited a crisis involving unprecedented bloodshed in East Bengal—Because Islamabad would have nothing to do with it. Not a few of the Awami League MNA’s oif a never-convened National Assembly have been disqualified. Some elections have taken place to fill up these vacant seats, most of the candidates having been declared elected unopposed. But all this is far from convincing, and certainly it cannot be considred to have changed the situation.
Instead of all these things, it will be constructive if Islamabad starts taking steps in the direction of coming to a political settlement on East Bengal probents., Much too much blood has already been wasted, and much more will if a solution is sought to be imposed through the clash of arms, it does not better with whom.
(Editorial, The commoner, Kathmandu—November 4, 1971)
Source : Bangladesh Documents, Vol II, P. 134