কোলকাতা কর্পোরেশন কর্তৃক আয়োজিত রিসিপশনে বঙ্গবন্ধু
কোলকাতা
৭ ফেব্রুয়ারি, ১৯৭২
(ভাষণটি ইংরেজিতে পাওয়া গেছে।)
Secularism is one of the four fundamental principles on which Bangladesh is based. My government will not make any discrimination among the people, irrespective of caste, creed and colour. The testimony of the tolerance of my government and the people lies in the fact that not a single non-Bangalee had been killed anywhere in Bangladesh after independence. Although every family in Bangladesh has been affected by the atrocities of Pakistan army, yet the Mukti Bahini never tried for any reprisal. If they so desired, they could have even on the 16 December killed all non-Bangalees who had actively collaborated with the Pakistan army in killing Bangalees.
Non-Bangalee population in Bangladesh should integrate themselves with the local population. They must be Bangalees in all respects. If they do so, they will also become as good Bangalees as we are. For this, they will have to live like Bangalees. I do not believe that any great cause is served by taking revenge. No member of Mukti Bahini believes in vengeance. Therefore, no untoward incident took place in Bangladesh.
It is a regrettable matter that certain quarters are spreading false propaganda that the non-Bangalees are being tortured and they are giving out false and mischievous statements to the press.
They destroyed the economy. They even burnt the currency notes in a bid to throttle Bangladesh. You observe Jalianwalabagh day every year in India, but I wonder how many Jalianwalabagh crimes were perpetrated every day during the freedom struggle in Bangladesh.
I express my profound gratitude to the Indian army because they not only rendered immense help to the local people and contributed directly to the freedom struggle but they also showed an exemplary behaviour in public. They are loved by the people there. They are an allied army and they went there at the invitation of my Government. They will leave Bangladesh whenever they will be asked to do so.
Reference:
Trivedi, R. (1999) International Relations of Bangladesh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman [Documents, Messages and Speeches] Volume-I p. 83-84. Dhaka, Parama