Appeal for economic blockade against Pakistan
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI, MAY 23.- Two trade union leaders of Bangladesh, Mr. Mohammed Shah Jahan and Mr. Addul Mannan, have in an appeal to the workers of the world urged them to create economic blockade against the Pakistan Government and to start appropriate movements for stopping of any aid economic or military by any country to Pakistan.
They have also urged them to chalk out an effective programme and launch immediate movements for the recognition of the sovereign State of Bangladesh with “Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman as Head of the State.”
The Bangladesh trade union leaders told newsmen here today that so far about 10 lakhs of unarmed and innocent people had been killed by Yahya Khan. Of those killed about one lakh were workers.
“Because of their previous role in all movements, the workers and students, they said. are being considered to be the arch enemies of Yahya Khan. At the present moment, the leading workers are being singled out and killed along with their families. Hundreds of workers have been killed in a mosque in the Adamjee Jute Mills premises and in several other mills in Bangladesh. Residential colonies of industrial workers have been completely gutted down. Those who escape the initial onslaught to tanks and mortars are now fighting a slow and painful death due to lack of food and shelter.“
Both of them described as a “blatant lie” the Pakistani propaganda that factories were now running normally. They emphasized that the resistance of the “workers, the peasants, the students and so to say the entire people of Bangladesh is still continuing in spite of all those inhuman atrocities.”
“The democratic republic of Bangladesh ” they emphasized. “is a reality and we can assure the people of the world that the workers and students are prepared to pay a heavier price and make more sacrifices but would never surrender to the brute force of the colonial junta of West Pakistan.” The two leaders appealed to the workers of the world to come to the aid “of their starving dying, yet fighting brethren of Bangladesh.”
They did not mince words in expressing their “very discouraging reaction to the negative of China towards our cause.” The two leaders belong to the Bangladesh National Workers League which represents 80 percent of the 40 lakh workers there. “China is supporting the liberation movement in Vietnam. But in our case they are actively helping the colonists of West Pakistan to the detriment of a great cause which they profess to support. We also feel constrained to put on records our disillusionment at the passive role played by the UNO and some big powers of the world.”
“How much blood must we give and how much sacrifices must the suffering people of Bangladesh have to face before the conscience of the people of the world will be aroused so that their Governments and the UNO will be moved to take some positive action for coming to our aid?” – they asked.
According to them, Sheik Mujibur Rahman was under the custody of Yahya Khan. They appealed to all workers to start movements for the Sheik’s release.
Mr. Abdul Mannan who is the Convener of the Bangladesh Central Workers Action Committee, alleged that the workers in Bangladesh had always been discriminated against by the West Pakistani rulers. Though the prices of all essential commodities were much higher in the eastern wing than those in the western, the minimum wage fixed by the Government was Rs. 125 for workers in the eastern wing against Rs. 140 for workers in the western part.
Mr. Mannan said that because of strict censorship, they had no means of knowing what was happening in West Pakistan. But they could anticipate how adversely workers of West Pakistan were hit by the action of the military junta in Bangladesh. Most of the factories in West Pakistan depended on raw materials from the east which was also the main market for West Pakistan’s industries. Now this market is closed, he said, they could visualize the worsening lot of the workers in West Pakistan.
Mr. Shah Jahan said that they proposed to contact trade union organizations in other countries. India was the first country whose trade union bodies they had contacted. “We are immensely grateful to the people of India for the spontaneous and overwhelming support rendered by them to the Bangladesh cause,” he added.
The meeting of the two trade union leaders from Bangladesh with newsmen was organized by the INTUC. Representatives of other major trade union bodies were also present at the INTUC office to greet the two worker’s leaders.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 24.05.1971