Bangladesh Newsletter
No. 5 July 15, 1971
SPECIAL NOTE :
Our readers will notice that this issue of our newsletter has been runoff in a mimeo machine instead of the usual photo-offset process used in the previous four issues. We are forced to use the present method in order to save both time and money. We are at present short of manpower since most of our members have left town for summer jobs and our chief editor has also left town in order to co-ordinate the more important activity of lobbying in the U.S. Senate and the House in Washington D.C. He will, however, be back in Chicago when the Senate goes into recess this August. In his absence the appearence and the quality of our newsletter is bound to suffer. But we hope our readers will appreciate our difficulties.
The mimeo process is also cheaper for reproduction. It costs us only a fraction of the photo-offset process. The money that we thus save can be utilised for more important purposes. In this context let us remind our readers that we need more money in order to be more effective in our diploamtic lobbying. The BDL is now financing almost entirely the expenses of the Bangladesh Mission in New York and the Bangladesh Inforamtion Center in Washington D.C. We are also spending a great deal of money on publication and distribution of materials. With our meagre balance we can continue to support these activities for another month or so. So please help us support these important activities on a continuing basis. Recently the Bangladesh government has sent us some materials for reproduction and wide distribution in this country. It’s a big project and we need money badly. Please help generously. Remember ours may be a long struggle and we have to sustain this struggle with all kinds of help. But victory is ours. It’s only a matter of time and sacrifice.
MUKTI FOUJ COMMANDOS KNOCK OUT POWER PLANTS
Bengali insurgents have knocked out the electrical power stations in Dacca, authoritative foreign sources report. These sources, who received the inforamtion from contacts in Dacca, said Dacca had been blacked
out since Saturday (July 3) night.
Several foreign newmen are in East Bengal, but no news of the attack has come out of Dacca. The other sources speculated that report were being blocked by the authorities or the cable office had been shut by the power failure.
Another major town, Comilla, has been without power for over a week, its power plant reportedly also knocked out by insurgents. Comilla, a key rail and road junction about 50 miles east of Dacca and close to the Indian border, has been a focus of increasing guerrilla activity against the Pakistani Army.
The crippiling of the Dacca power plant is the most dramatic act ascribed to the insurgents since the army seized control of the city in late March after killing several thousand civilians.
Although the loss of electricity will cause considerable disruption in Dacca, it will not bring the havoc that would be caused in a Western capital. The airport—used mostly for bringing troops in from West Pakistan, has an auxiliary power supply. This is also true of the major hospitals, including the military hospital, which has been handling army casualties from all parts of East Bengal.
Factories in the Dacca area will be the hardest hit, but since the upheaval in March, the factories have been operating at a fraction of capacity because most of the workers have fled either to the country-side or to India.
The insurgents, known as the Mukti Fouj or Liberation Army, had vowed to step up activity as thier response to President Yahya Khan’s speech to the nation last Monday night.
The speech, heralded by the Government as a plan for returning Pakistan to civilian rule, instead said that martial law would continue even after a civilian government was established. President Yahya, a general who is the martial law ruler of Pakistan, also said that a committee of expects named by him—not the National Assemble as originally promised—would draft a new constitution. He said that the Awami League, tha East Pakistani party that won a national majority in last December’s election, was still, and forever, banned.
(New York Times, July 6, 1971)
REUTER CORRESPONDENT REPORTS FROM DACCA
Dacca, June 23—Foreign diplomatic sources said here last night that between 50 to 60 seriously wounded Pakistani soldiers are being brought to the Army hospital in Dacca everyday. Travellers from other towns spoke of continuing Bengali resistance in East Bengal.
But Pakistani military sources here insist that the 12-week old undeclared civil was is at an end except for some intrusions in the Feni area.
I arrived in Dacca last night with three other British correspondents—the first to be allowed to return unescorted since the expulsion of 35 reporters after the Army crack-down on March 25.
Dacca is believed to be the safest town in East Bengal despite eight bombing incidents which marked the visit here of Prince Sadruddin Agha Khan, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, a week ago. A man was injured when two grenades were hurled outside the intercontinental Hotel.
But efforts by the Martial Law authorities to bring the situation back to normal still encounter Bengali resistance. Civil servants receive “warnings” by post and to underline the threats shrouds have been delivered. These warnings have sometimes been posted in Government of Pakistan envelopes.
Foreigners say few Bengali police survived the massive mutinies at the end of March and Biharis have been recruited to replace them. Some 5,000 West Pakistani police have also been sent in. Dacca’s police chief, himself a Bengali, was retired and them vanished in April.
Since March, it has been deoreed that all number plates of cars must be in English—apparently reflecting the inability of many policemen and troops to read Bengali in which all vehicles were previously numbered.
Three-quarters of the shops along the road from the Dacca airport were closed. In the bazaar area along Nawabpur road, through the crowds and rickshaw, the habitual Bengali animation was lacking. The university campus was deserted.
Ond foreign traveller to the Rajshahi border reported total destruction along 20 miles of the Aricha-Pabna Road with three-quarters of the shops in Pabna wrecked. In Rajshahi, four-fifths of the bazaar was destroyed and no schools were open, he said. Explosions rocked the town last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Foreigners here agree that East Bengal has grain supplies for two months. But as stocks were halved in the three months ending on May 31, this figure is less impressive than it appears unless new shipments can be unloaded and moved inland at normal speed, they said.
The U.S.A. has given a million dollars to charter foreign coasters to meet the country’s urgent need for vessels to speed up the distribution of supplies.
The distribution network has been semi-paralyzed by armed action, sabotage and the disapperance of skilled manpower and vehicles.
The Americans are insisting that coaster be manned by nationals of a third country. U.S. sources do not conceal their irritation that 50 large fibre-glass assaultcrat given to streamline relief efforts after the November tidal wave disaster in the Ganges delta have found their way into Army hands.
500 PAK SOLDIERS KILLED IN THE BATTLE OF FENI
About 500 Pakistnai soldiers were killed and 200 injured in a fortnight-long battle in the northern sector of Feni sub-division—the biggest ever fought by the Mukti Fouj since March 25.
Major Khalid Musharraf, a Mukti Fouj commander in the eastern sector, said in an interview that 50 guerrillas were injured during the fierce fighting which started on June 4. Six soldiers and an officer of the Mukti Fouj were killed.
Major Musharraf said the liberation forces had strengthened their positions by laying mines, and wire obstacles throughout the area. On June 4, the Bashikpur bridge on Pathannagar Road was completely blown off by mines. After three days the enemy troops started to advance from Feni towards Bandua and tried to cross the Belonia river. But the Mukti Fouj guerrillas opened fire on them from mortars and machine guns. About 60 Pakistani troops were either killed or injured and the rest had to restart.
On June 8 the Pakistani soldiers crossed the river, passed Kalirhat and Gotia Nullah and were about 300 yards away from the Mukti Fouj defense line when the Bangladesh forces engaged them with mortars and small arms. About 200 Pakistani troops were killed in the heavy fighting for 24 hours and the rest were forced to return to Kalirhat.
On June 17 the Pakistan Army tried to advance through Pathannagar Road but was repulsed by the liberation forces.
Next day a number of Pakistani helicopters landed troops behind Mukti Fouj defence and the Pakistani troops engaged the Bangladesh forces both at the front and the rear. Heavy fighting went on till the small hours of the next day the enemy suffered enormous casualties. Three Mukti Fouj men lost their lives and about 18 sustained bullet injuries. The freedom fighters thereafter beat a strategic retreat under the cover of mortar fire.
Major Musharraf said, “My boys really fought a great fight but the lack of proper communication handicapped our defence. Moreover, we were holding too wide a front without having much depth. Though the use of helicopters achieved for the enemy some partial success, we could have taken those copter-borne troops as prisoners if we had more men in reserve”.
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR WEST PAKISTAN ECONOMY
West Pakistanis are beginning to feel the pince, now that it is becoming evident that the high cost of pacification operations in East Pakistan will have to be borne mainly by them.
Many factories that used to export a large part of their output in East Pakistan or relied on imported raw materials are working at 30 to 50 per cent capacity. Especially hit are textile mills which have laid off as much as half their normal labour force. Certain well-established firms have terminated employment of executives also. Strikes and other forms of protest against arbitrary dismissals are forbidden under martial law.
The price of cooking fat has risen by 20 per cent, beef 25 per cent, kerosene by 10 per cent and textiles by 12 per cent sinec the crisis started in March. Imported goods naturally have registered far higher rises in prices. The price of imported medicine, for instance, has gone up by almost 100 per cent. The increase in the price of petrol has led to higher transportation charges. Thus inflation is making life difficult for poor as well as the middle classes.
Demonetization of 100 and 500 rupees should help to curb inflation, since it is claimed that excess liquidity has been reduced by 900 million rupees ($198 million) due to non-surrender of notes. But this is not going to make any difference. If anything, inflation is going to get worse. Deficit financing during the current year, it has been announced, would put $326 million worth of fresh currency notes into circulation instead of $126 million budgeted earlier. Security pringting press is one concern which presumably will have to work extra shifts this year.
Taxes are going to be increased enormously under the new budget. Since there has been a drastic decline in revenue in East Pakistan, the burden of fresh taxation will be mainly on West Pakistanis. The longer the West Pakistani troops stay in East Pakistan, the more resources will have to be drained out of West Pakistan to maintain them there.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO STOP U.S. AID TO PAKISTAN?
As many of you know, Senator Saxbe of Ohio and Senator Church of Idaho have introduced an amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, regarding aid to Pakistan. It reads as follows :
Sec.—All military and economic assistance, and all sales of military equipment and weapons, whether for cash, credit, or any other means, to Pakistan, authorized or appropriated pursuant to this or any other Act, and all licenses for military sales, shall be immediately suspended and no commitments or expenditures, including the provision of debt relief shall be undertaken or made, until distribution of food and other relief measures, supervised by international agencies, takes place on a regular basis throughout East Pakistan and the majority of refugees in India are repatriated to East Pakistan; provided, however, that these provisions shall not prohibit expenditures of previously appropriated funds pursuant to binding written agreements between the Government of Pakistan and the Agency for International Development in force on or prior to June 8, 1971.
The proposed legislation not only requires the support of as many Senators as possible, but also pressure to bring it to the floor of Congress in the near future.
A list of Senators who have agreed to co-sponsor the Saxbe-Church amendment #S-1657 is given below. Even before this measure comes to a vote an indication of strong bipartisan support will have impact on the Department of State and The White House. So please write personally and ask your American friends to write to their particular Senators to support the S.C. amendment. This is very important. Act immediately before the Senate goes into recess in August. Get more letters written to those Senators who have not yet committed themselves, i.e. who are not mentioned in the list below.
Considetable support has been generated for the similar Gallagher Amendment in the House. The amendment should come up before the House Foreign Affairs Committee within next two or three weeks. If the amendment is accepted by the committee as a part of the Foreign Aid Bill then it should stand a good chance of being accepted by the full House. So write to Congressmen as well and ask your American friends to write.
The following Senators agreed to be Co-Sponsors of Saxbe-Church Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 :
| Case | R N. J. | Mondale | D Minn. |
| Bayh | D Ind. | Bennett | R Utah |
| Pastore | D R. I. | Hughes | D Iowa |
| Hart | D Mich | Hartke | D Ind. |
| Pell | D R. I. | Muskie | D Me. |
| Cranston | D Calif. | Bellman | R Okla. |
| Metcalf | D Mont. | Humphrey | D Minn. |
| McGovern | D S. D. | Boggs | R Del. |
| Tunney | D Calif. | Magnuson | D Wash. |
| Eagleton | D Mo. | Williams | D N. J. |
| Scott | R Pa. | (Minority Leader) | |
| Moss | D Utah | Gurney | R Fla. |
| Stevenson | D Ill. | Roth | R Del. |
| Brooke | R Mass. | ||
If you can personally come to lobby during the next 3 weeks and need any information and guidance contact :
Mr. Abdur Razzak Khan 703-931-2997
or
Dr. William B. Greenough III
Dr. & Mrs. Jon E. Rohde
1203 Poplar Hill Road
Baltimore, Maryland 21210
ACTIONS SUGGESTED
1. Generate as many calls, letters and telegrams to Senators and Representatives from all possible states. Ask that they co-sponsor the Church-Saxbe amendment # S-1657 and similar legislation in the House (Gallagher amendment). Urge them to make public statements and query the Department of State and the Pentagon.
2. Talk to your local civic groups and inform them of the magnitude of the disaster in Bengal and how we are presently involved.
3. Follow all possible newspapers for information daily. Have someone in your area keep a briefing file.
4. Support your local Bangladesh group. Indicate to them the value of pressure on Washington.
5. Send your best informed people to assist directly in the large job of informing Congressmen.
A LETTER FROM A BENGALI ACADEMICIAN
(written to a U.S. professor)
June 18, 1971
Thank you very much for your kind and sympathetic letter. I left Calcutta just after receiving your letter. Along with Dr. Mallick, Vice-Chancellor, Chittagong University and some teachers from the Calcutta University I am on a tour of Northern Indian Universities to see what can be done about the academics from Bangladesh who have come over to India.
We have confirmed news of killings of Dr. G.C. Dev (Head of the Department, Philosophy), Mr. Maniruzzaman (Head of the Department, Statistics), Dr. J. Guhathakurta (Reader, English), Dr. Fuzhur Rahman and Dr. Innas Ali (Head of the Department, Physics) sustained bullet injuries, but survived. Possibly some more teachers were killed on the Dacca University campus, but their names have not been ascertained. The first reports from Rajshahi confirmed the killings of Prof. Habibur Rahman (Head of the Department, Mathematics) and Prof. Samaddar (Sanskrit). Of late there are reports that more have been killed in May. No teacher of Chittagong University has been killed. The army came to inquire of some of the teachers including the Vice Chancellor and myself, after we had left.
I am asking the Calcutta University Bangladesh Sahayak Samiti to send you a list of our university teachers who are in India. We have about 90 of them. Besides there are 900 college teachers and 1500 school teachers. We are desperately in need of help for them. Any assistance that you can send the above-mentioned Samiti or to our Bangladesh Sikshak Samiti at Darbhanga Building, College Street, Calcutta-12, will be of great help.
AMERICAN PEACE ORGANIZATION SUPPORT BANGLADESH
In the annual convention of the Peoples Coalition for Peace Justice (PCPJ) held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 25-27, resolutions were adopted supporting the liberation of Bangladesh. Peoples Coalition is an umbrella organizations in this country. More than 800 delegates attended the conference.
Dr. Iqbal Ahmed, a West Pakistani scholar, was invited to address the plenary session of the conference to appraise the situation in Bangladesh. Dr. Ahmed appealed to the delegates to organize a strong resistance to the U.S. policy of aiding the military junta of West Pakistan and stop the beginning of another Vietnam type U.S. involvement in Sounth-East Asia.
An all-day Teach-in on Bangladesh organized by Bangladesh Defense League attracted the attention of the conference. Local news-media covered the teach-in detail. Various affilliated organizations of the PCPJ seperately and the conference collectively discussed the Bangladesh issue and adopted action programs.
The following suggestions were sent out by the PCPJ to all its members from its Washington D.C. office :
WHAT CAN WE DO IN THREE WEEKS (MAX.) TO STOP AMERICAN FROM PERPETRATING THE WORST HUMAN DISASTER IN MODERN HISTORY?
SUPPORT PCPJ NATIONAL ACTIONS
The People’s Coalition has just planned three national demonstrations : New York, Washington and San Francisco. If you are in these areas, find out the demonstration details from PCPJ organizations and work on recruitment, media education, etc. (Also ask about the special May Day Tribe actions.)
STIMULATE AND SUPPORT LOCAL ACTIONS ELSEWHERE
Call your local groups and find out what they are doing about East Pakistan Now (in a month it will be too late). Volunteer to get them moving.
LOCAL TARGETS
Demonstrations at any Air Force, Army or Dept. of Defense supply agency or contract administration, protesting the Pentagon’s continuing defiance of the Congressional ban on Pakistan arms shipments (See N.Y. Times, June 22 and 25).
LOBBYING
Get churches, etc. to write congressmen to support Gallagher Amend. to H.R. 8961 the Saxbe-Church amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act (Senate), banning all aid to Pakistan.
Also wire the State Dept. (protesting keeping in East Pakistan)—Nixon, and the Senate Foreign Affairs Comm., etc.
Call the following for information and literature, as well as local peace groups :
National : PCPJ Office—(202) 737-6800 ;
Bangladesh League (Washington) (703) 931-2997 ; New York (Bangladesh) (212) 685-4530 ; Chicago (B.D.) (312) 288-0728 ; San Francisco (B.D.) (415) 325-5796 ; Philadelphia (215) 747-4747.
PROTESTS SET OVER ARMS TO PAKISTAN
A coalition of peace organizations announced plans for demonstrations in three cities to protest American arms shipments to Pakistan.
Sidney lens, a co-ordinator for the Peoples Coalition for Peace and Justice, told a press conference in christ the King Church, 25 W. Jackson, that U.S. military aid is propping up a vicious military dictatorship” in Pakistan.
Lens said the Peoples Coalition plans to demonstrate at federal buildings in New York, Washington and San Francisco.
David Burak, a spokesman for the Mayday Tribe, an organization affiliated with the coalition, said his group plans “disruptive demonstrations of a non-violent sort to halt the loading of armaments onto ships in New York”.
He would not specify what the actions would be.
(Sun-Times, July 1, 1971 Chicago)
WISCONSIN PEACE GROUPS DEMONSTRATE
A coalition of Wisconsin peace groups called Wisconsin Alliance in association with the American Servicemen’s Union (ASU) organized a demonstration on July 3 at the Pakistan Student’s convention held at Madison. Demonstrators carried placards and stood silent vigil during the plenary session of the conference. The Alliance and the ASU earlier in a press conference announced their plan to stage a demonstration at the airport when the Pakistan Ambassador arrived. But the demonstration could not take place as the Ambassador cancelled his scheduled appearance in the convention at the last moment. The Alliance and the ASU sponsored a Teach-in on Bangladesh where Bangladesh literature were distributed. Dr. Iqbal Ahmed and Mr. Muzammel Huq addressed the well-attended teach-in and answered questions on Bangladesh. A number of TV and Radio programs on Bangladesh were organized by the sponsors on this occasion.
BDL BOARD MEETING
A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bangladesh Defense League was held in Madison on July 3. Activities and programs of the league were revived in this meeting. BDL has urged all the Bangladesh groups in the U.S.A. and Canada to contact their local peace organizations and co-ordinate their activities with them. Address and telephone number of the nearest peace organization can be obtained from Mr. Brad Little, 1029 Vermont Ave. N.W., Washington D.C. (Phone : (202) 737-8600)
FRIENDS OF EAST BENGAL
On Tuesday, June 24th, at the Friday’s Meeting Hall, at 4th and Arch Streets, a group of citizens concerned about recent events in Pakistan, formed The friends of East Bengal, a non-profit organization open to all who wish to join. The following resolution of purpose was passed :
1) To help relieve the immense suffering imposed by military action against the people of East Bengal, since March 25, 1971.
2) To further the freedom and political self-determination of the people of East Bengal.
3) To exert influence on the United States government to direct its policies to these goals.
Persons interested in joining or learning more about The Friends of East Bengal my contact :
The Friends of East Bengal
c/o Charles Kahn
305 Logan Hall
University of Pennsylevania
Phila., Penna. 19104
594-8563
GR2-3969
COLUMBIA STUDENTS FOR BANGLADESH
A group of Columbia University students deeply concerned about the outrageous situation in East Bengal presented a petition bearing nearly four hundred signatures of students and professors to the United Nations. The petition urges certain specific measures designed to stop the bloodbath in Bangladesh. Signers include two Nobel Laureates.
PUBLIC MEETING IN CANADA
At a public meeting at International House, University of British Columbia on June 16, to hear Jaya Prakash Narayan of the Gandhi Peace Foundation speak on the situation in Bangladesh the following resolation was approved.
“We call upon the President of Pakistan to cease terrorizing the people in whose name he governs and to re-open nagotiation with the surviving elected members of the National Assembly so that democratic and responsible government can be restored to East Pakistan”.
Forwarded by Professor Barrie M. Morrison of the Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia, to Professor Ralph W. Nicholas, Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University, on June 16, 1971.
BANGLADESH ASSOCIATION OF QUEBEC
Naiyyum Chowdhury, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Association of Quebec reports :
“Padma” carrying U.S. arms and ammunition arrived in Montreal port to load Canadian made Sabre Jet parts for Pakistan Air Force. The timely action of the Montreal Press resulted in putting an embergo on the Canadian arms shipments.
We are keeping a close watch on this North America-Pakistan conspiracy and trying to unveil it to the Canadian people by working with local press and sympathetic Canadians.
Demonstrations against the arrival of Padma were supported and joined by several labour groups including the Confederation of National Trade Unions.
REPORT FROM MICHIGAN
From Michigan Mr. Muzammel Huq reports :
On the 29th of June I went to Grand Rapid to attend the convention of “Another Mother For Peace” to distribute information materials and give a talk about the situation in Bangladesh.
We have started a fund raising drive at the Michigan State University. An appeal signed by Prof. Ralph Nicholas (Professor of Anthropology), Prof. Bill Ross (Chairman, South-East Asian Studies Department) and Prof. Richard Niekoff has been distributed among the four thousand faculty members of the M.S.U.
At M.S.U. students from Bangladesh in association with the Friends of Bangladesh have started a bucket dinner to collect funds. 300 tickets for the dinner have been sold in the first week. The dinner will be followed by a discussion on Bangladesh. Dr. Jamza Alvi from West Pakistan will speak to the audience to support the cause of Bangladesh.
(Please do write us about the activities of your group. Your programs may give ideas for new plans for other groups : Bangladesh Newsletter)
BANGLADESH ASSN. OF DELAWARE VALLEY
Bengalis living in and around Philadelphia have formed an organization in order to co-ordinate their activities in furthering the cause of Bangladesh. This organization will make available to interested individuals informative materials from the Western press. For more details contact the Association at 49 Marboro Lane, Willingboro, N.J. 08046.
BANGLADESH LEAGUE CONVENTION
The annual convention of the Bangladesh League of America was held in New York on June 26, 1971. Apart from the New York group, chapters of the Bangladesh League represented in the convention were Washington, D.C., Kentucky, Tennessee and N. Carolina. Observers from the Bangladesh Defense Leauge, Bangladesh Association of Delaware Valley and the Bangladesh Association of Ohio were also present. The day-long activities of the convention included reports from the chapters and other Bangladesh organizations. Convention was concluded with the formation of a coordinating committee to coordinate the activities of different groups working for the liberation of Bangladesh and the election of the executive committee of the League.
BANGLADESH DEFENSE LEAGUE LINKS UP WITH WEST COAST GROUPS
Dr. F.R. Khan, President of the Bangladesh Defense League attended a meeting of the Bay Area Bangladesh groups and sympathiz held in San Francisco on June 25, 1971. Representatives from the Los Angeles group were also present in the meeting. Dr. Khan explained the organizational structure of the BDL and the Bangladesh Emergency Welfare Appeal and gave a report on the programs and activities of these organizations. He emphasized the need for better coordination among all Bangladesh groups throughout the United States and Canada.
The meeting resolved that a part or all of the funds raised by the Bay Area organization will be channelled through the BDL and the BEWA. It was agreed that one representative of the group will be nominated to serve as member of the Boards of Directors of the BDL and the BEWA.
A second coordinating meeting with the president of the BDL is scheduled to be held in San Francisco on July 18, 1971.
FROM BANGLADESH MISSION, NEW YORK
Mr. A.H. Mahmud Ali of the Bangladesh Mission in N.Y. has supplied us with the following information :
1) The Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimiantion and Protection of Minorities—an organ of the United Nations—is meeting in N.Y. from the 2nd of August, 1971. This Sub-Commission is an expert body and therefore is an appropriate U.N. organ to consider and look into the human rights aspects of the situation in East Bengal. Anybody who has some information, may address a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations with a copy to the Bangladesh Mission, 10 East 39 Street, Room 1002A, New York, N.Y. 10016.
Those who have left East Bengal after the 25th of March, 1971, can testify before non-governmental organizations such as The International League for the Rights of Man which are in consultative status with the U.N. so that their testimony can be presented to the Sub-Commission.
Letters received from refugees in India or from East Bengal would be useful.
Those interested in testifying, may kindly write to the Bangladesh Mission.
2) The U.S. Presidential Committee on Foreign Scholarships in meeting in early September next. This Committee decides on the grant of funds to educational institutions in foreign countries.
Those who have left East Bengal after March 25, 1971, may testify before this Committee. Those interested may write to the Bangladesh Mission.
ATTENTION :
1) We remind those of our readers who already pledged a monthly donation to the Bangladesh Fund to send in their donation for the moth of July.
2) If you have not signed the pledge coupon already please do signe it now.
3) Ask your American friends to write to their representatives to stop military and economic aid to Pakistan. Generate local pressure on the senators and congressmen.
4) During the past three months we have received many letters from our readers. It has not always been possible to answer them promptly. With our limited manpower we are trying hard to keep up with our mail but we need your indulgence.
I, ………………………………………………………………………… , pledge ……………………………………….
| $ 5.00 | $ 10.00 | $ 25.00 | $ 50.00 | $ 100.00 | Other |
| Specify | |||||
every month as a contribution to the Bangladesh Defense League.
Signed ………………………………………………………
Address …………………………………………………….
Issued by
BANGLADESH DEFENSE LEAGUE
5245 S. Kenwood, Chicago, Ill. 60615