7,000 KILLED IN 2-DAY FIGHTING, SAYS REPORT
Correspondent Arnold Zeitlin reported on his arrival in Ceylon yesterday from Dacca, that the Government troops were in full control of the provincial capital.
Zeitlin said between 5,000 and 7,000 people were believed killed in fighting on Friday and Saturday.
Sheikh Mujib was reported in army custody. Thousands fled the city, Zeitlin said.
Joe Schlesinger, a Canadian Broadcasting Corp. correspondent, also reported that “the army was clearly in control” when he left Dacca early on Saturday.
Airlift
“Free Bangla Radio” monitored in Calcutta announced the establishment of a provisional Government of Bangla Desh (Bengali Nation) under Major Jia Khan, described as the head of the “Liberation Army.”
United News of India, In a despatch from Calcutta, said that according to reports reaching the Indian border more Pakistan army troops were airlifted today into Dacca and Chittagong.
In another despatch from the border town of Agartala, the agency said that the district city of Comilla, 40 milles (64km) southeast of Dacca, was now completely free of army soldiers.
Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi today supported an Opposition proposal that Parilament express its sympathy and support for the people of East Pakistan.
India has contacted United Nations Secretary-General U Thant in an effort to raise the issue of the armed conflict in East Pakistan in the U.N. Security Council, Foreign Office sources said today.
In LONDON, British Foreign Secretary Sir Alec Douglas-Home said today the British Council offices and library in Dacca were attacked during fighting in the East. Pakistan capital’s university area.
Sir Alex said: “The (Pakistan) army was responsible for the attacks, as we understand it, on the British Council offices.”
Later today about 150 members of the Indian Parliament demonstrated outside the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi to protest against the military action in East Pakistan.
The MPs said they wanted to hand in a memorandum but no one emerged from the High Commission to receive it.
The memorandum called on peace-loving and democratic Peoples of Africa and Asia to stand by the people of Bangla Desh. “In this hour of their trial and agony and extend all support to their legitimate demands.”
Straits Times, 30.3.1971