BanglaDesh rulers win confidence of liberated areas
By Clare Hollingwrth in a “liberated jone ” 80 miles inside East Pakistan
The BanglaDesh district commissioner, late of the Royal Navy and Willesden Technical College in London, said “ “We are a desperate people. Because the election victory of the Awami League was dishonored by President Yahya Khan, we have been forced to fight for our rights.”
Mr Abdul Mannan, 48, is commissioner of one of the seven, “liberated zones” in East Pakistan but is more like a political commissioner.
When I met him in a “basha ” house made of split woven palm leaves, overlooking the vast flat delta, he was presiding over a meeting of the local ruling committee, which decides political and military policy for an area between 40 and 50 square miles.
He explained they were waiting to hear from Mujibnagar, mythical capital of BanglaDesh at present situated in Calcutta, whether to introduce a policy of starving East Pakistan towns by cutting off food supplies.
Bad blood
As district commissioner , Mr. Mannan claimed to have equal rights with the military wing with whom his relations were obviously good.
This is not always the case within the BanglaDesh movement, however, There is often bad blood between the politicians in Calcutta and the military leader, Colonel Osmani, in Tripura.
BanglaDesh was anti-Marxist and Anti-Naxalite, said Mr Mannan, but though he disliked the Left-wing groups, he feared it would be necessary to “find a place for them” in the Government when Bangla Deshis finally liberated.
In other “liberated areas” I have visited it is obvious the local leaders are moving further to the Left each day.
Relaxed atmosphere
On a tour of the area by boat and on foot-there are no roads in the region- no attempt was made to hide the presence of Mukti Fouj guerrillas.
Everywhere the atmosphere was extremely relaxed and in 48 hours I did not hear the sound of a single shot fired in anger.
Obviously, the 15,000 inhabitants have tremendous confidence in BanglaDesh because they are reconstructing the “basha houses” and repairing the demand for embankments caused by the recent floods.
School open
Some schools are open and there is a clinic where minor ailments can be treated. The local magistrate has authority to make judgements on local disputes and impose fines up to $10, while serious charges are taken to a higher court.
Neither the civil administration nor the guerrillas have radio or phone communications, but Mr Mannan claimed he could send urgent messages by horse which could reach Calcutta, 100 miles away, in a day and night.
The guerrillas’ morale is high despite a shortage of modern weapons — they are generally armed with World War One rifles – and a chronic lack of ammunition.
The Mukti Fouj expect to launch an offensive against Dacca, the East Pakistan capital, “in about a month.
About 2,000 guerrillas are already deployed in the surrounding villages in readiness for decisive action.
Much will depend on the supplies of ammunition they can obtain within the next few weeks.
Karachi Given Civil Defense Advice
Karachi citizens were being advised yesterday to dig slit trenches as part of civil defense preparations and cinemas and television were searching other advice on air raid precautions.
Trenches were to be dug outside public buildings, by roadsides and near parks and market places in all main towns of East Pakistan . Trenches should be W.L. or Y Shaped
Citizens were told how to distinguish between the alert and the all-clear sirens, were given details of blackout regulations and told of the need to switch off water, electricity and gas at the mains before taking shelter – Reuter.
Reference: The Daily Telegraph : 15 November 1971