Morning News
16th March 1969
AUTONOMY & ONE-UNIT: East Pak leaders’ support would have forced Ayub’s hands, says Mujib
(By Our Staff Reporter)
AWAMI LEAGUE CHIEF SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN SAID LAST EVENING THAT PRESIDENT AYUB WOULD HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO ACCEPT THE LEGITIMATE DEMANDS OF EAST PAKISTAN INCLUDING THAT FOR REGIONAL AUTONOMY AND ALSO OF THE MINORITY PROVINCES IN WEST PAKISTAN IF ALL THE LEADERS FROM EAST PAKISTAN HAD SUPPORTED HIM AT THE ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE.
TALKING TO NEWSMEN AT HIS RESIDENCE ON HIS ARRIVAL FROM RAWALPINDI HE SAID THE ATMOSPHERE WAS SUCH THAT DEMANDS FOR REGIONAL AUTONOMY FOR EAST PAKISTAN DISMEMBERMENT OF ONE UNIT IN WEST PAKISTAN WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED IF THE EAST PAKISTANI LEADERS HAD GIVEN HIM THE SUPPORT.
Unfortunately, he said, many of the leaders at the conference from East Pakistan did not follow the mandate of the people. He said he had already mentioned the names of those leaders.
He said he had expected that these leaders, -Messrs Hamidul Huq Choudhury, Abdus Salam Khan, Mahmud Ali and Farid Ahmed would “come to senses after 22 years.”
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman referred to his invitation to Moulna Bhashani to attend RTC with him and said he had requested the Moulana to go to the Round Table Conference and had assured him that he would come back with the Moulana if the demands of the people were not accepted.
He said the Moulana had rejected his request for reasons unknown to the Sheikh. He also said Moulana has been inconsistent in recent statements Sheikh Mujib said Moulana was 86 now and should retire from politics.
He declared that people’s cause and sacrifices could not go in vain. He said his party would “definitely” vote for the two amendments (accepted at the RTC) and also place amendments to the Constitution on the basis of Six and Eleven point demands, for representation on the basis of population and dismemberment of the One Unit.
He said that the consensus of people of the West Pakistan was for regional autonomy for East Pakistan and dismemberment of One Unit.
GAME STARTED AGAIN
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said that “ruling junta and clique comprising Choudhri Mohammad Ali, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and Moulana Maudoodi who had ruled the country during the last 22 years had started the game again with the people.
He declared the people’s sacrifices and blood could not go in vain. Their cause must be achieved. He said the movement of the people would continue peacefully and constitutionally.
In his appeal to the people of the two wings, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said I urge upon them to continue their struggle till they reached their goal.
‘The Awami League chief also called upon the people to maintain peace and not to play in hands of the provocateurs. He said that there were many agents working to provoke the people. He was confident that our people, particularly the students, the workers the peasants and the intelligentsia, would resist all kinds of provocations.
Sheikh Mujib said that he would call a meeting of his Working Committee very soon to chalk out further plans and programme for the movement. He would also undertake an extensive tour of the province to meet the people.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯