Committees discuss aid to Bangladesh
NEW DELHI, JAN. 7-The Finance Minister Mr. Y. B. Chavan, and the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, assured the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdus Samad Azad, here today of India’s solid support in every respect.
Official experts of the two countries carried on talks at various committee levels when Bangladesh representatives presented their immediate requirements for economic reconstruction. These committees will fix the quantum of requirements India can assist Bangladesh with.
According to Mr. Humayun Rasheed Choudhury, the chief of Bangladesh Mission here, concrete proposals had been made and discussions would take place later. “India has full sympathy for us and for our requirements,” he added.
His aide, the Secretary of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh, said their immediate need was for goods like cement, bitumen, pharmaceuticals, industrial raw materials, cotton and cotton yarn, and petrolium, oil and lubricants.
At the moment. Bangladesh will take petrolium, oil and lubricants from nearest centres of Indian Oil Corporation. Transportation of these goods poses a problem, but India has promised assurance.
A programme for the rehabilitation of Bangladesh refugees had also been discussed in details, the blueprint is that all must return at least by the end of February. Further secrutiny will be made in this respect.
The Bangladesh Foreign Minister was with Mr. Chavan for about 20 minutes. Mr. Samad told Mr. Chavan that Bangladesh had set up a planning body and its representative would be here on January 13 next. He said his country’s aim was to concentrate, now on agriculture because this was the main sector of foreign exchange earning.
He highlighted the need for the revival of industries and the problems arising out of floods in Bangladesh.
Mr. Chavan assured him of all help and said planning must be done in a realistic manner, so that whatever was decided upon, could be implemented by both the counties. For some time they also talked of co-operation in the entire subcontinent and its benefit once Pakistan recognised the reality.
Mr. Samad thanked India for her support and assistance.
Mr. Chavan told him that India wanted Bangladesh to be a strong and prosperous neighbour and that she would accept all tasks towards this end.
Food needs
Mr. Samad had talks also with Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed for about 20 minutes, later though it was a courtesy call. Mr. Samad referred to the food situation in Bangladesh, which he described as “critical.” He said that the retreating Pakistani forces had destroyed food stock and standing crop. He, however, did not indicate the amount of assistance the Bangladesh Government required from India.
Mr. Ahmed assured Mr. Samad of India’s full assistance in overcoming the situation.
Another subject that came up for discussion was the possibility of utilising the waters of the Brahmaputra for irrigation projects, mutually beneficial to Assam and Bangladesh.
There was also a discussion on land ceiling in Bangladesh. Mr. Samad said that the question of land ceiling in Bangladesh did not arise as most of the holdings in Bangladesh were “very small.”
Speaking at a reception given to him by the All-India Congress (R) Committee at the party headquarter this afternoon Mr. Samad said the Indian National Congress and the Awami League fully shared the democratic ideals and both had contributed a great deal to the liberation of their respective countries.
Like the Congress and the Indian Government, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Government, too, were wedded to the principles of democracy, socialism, secularism and nonalignment, he stressed.
He was profusely garlanded by the AICC (R) General Secretaries, and the President and members of the Delhi PCC (R). Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Union Food and Agriculture Minister, presided.
The function began with the singing of D. L. Roy’s famous Bengali song “Dhana Dhanye Pushpe Bhara” by Mr. Dipali Nag Choudhury and her students of the Sapta Sur.
Discussions will shortly be held between the representatives of India and Bangladesh on the question of assistance required from India for water development and flood control in the country, adds PTI.
This was stated by Prof. Yusuf Ali, Minister for Power and Irrigation while discussing flood control and water development programmes with the Chairman of the Bangladesh Water and Power Development Authority, Mr. B. M. Abbas and other high officials in Dacca today.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 8. 1. 1972