Dawn
10th May 1966
Mujib’s arrest criticised
DACCA, May 9: Opposition circles in East Pakistan today criticised the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of the East Pakistan Awami League and his two associates under DPR.
In a statement Shah Azizur Rahman said: “Mr Mujibur Rahman and the other leaders had voiced the universal demand of the people for regional, political and economic autonomy for East Pakistan and for removal of growing imbalance between the two wings.”
He said: “Specific criminal cases have been registered against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in different courts all over East Pakistan. If he allegedly committed any offence and contravened any provision of law, he will face trial in competent court. When specific cases are already pending for adjudication and trial, there is absolutely no justification for his arrest and detention.”
Maulvi Farid Ahmad, General Secretary of the Pakistan Nizam-iIslam Party, in his statement, said when the Government had previously instituted cases against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on specific charges for similar activity the present action was malafide on the face of it. He said that the Government should have waited for the results of criminal cases before exercising “extraordinary powers.”
| Mr Mahmud Ali, Secretary General of the National democratic Front described the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others as unjust and said that every citizen was entitled to be tried before a court of law for his action which might be considered as infringement of the laws of the land “To detain them for pursuing a particular line of politics is a negation of democratic right,” he added. — PPA.
সূত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু তৃতীয় খণ্ড: ষাটের দশক॥ দ্বিতীয় পর্ব