Bangabandhu greets Nixon

November 10, 1972      

CONTINUED US AMITY ANTICIPATED

Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman yesterday extended his warmest felicitations to Richard M Nixon on his re-election to the presidentship of the United States. Bangabandhu in his telegram message to the US president anticipated continued friendship and cooperation between the two countries and wished Nixon and the American people all success in the years ahead.

PM'S DIRECTIVE

Bangabandhu directs relevant government machineries to gear up their activities for holding the general elections according to schedule. Brisk operations are going on to hold the first general elections on the free soil of Bangladesh on March 7, 1973. Bangabandhu issues directives to make the coming elections a success. The Election Commission has been directed to finalise speedily the recruitment of the required number of officials. Meanwhile, the task of the enumeration of voters is nearing completion. The printing of electoral rolls is expected to begin shortly.

BANGLADESH VOTED GATT MEMBER

Bangladesh is today voted in as a new member of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) by the required two-thirds majority of the organisation's 80 contracting parties. The new member will formally join GATT 30 days after signing a protocol of accession. Bangladesh will thus benefit from "most favoured nation" treatment which GATT members grant each other.

UN CONSIDERING EXTENSION OF RELIEF WORK

Britain and Australia have expressed their willingness in favour of extension of United Nations Relief Programmes in Bangladesh. A number of countries is meeting in New York today to take a decision on the extension of UN relief operations in Bangladesh for another nine months following an appeal by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The present UN relief programmes in Bangladesh end in March, 1973.

RECOGNITION BY ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia today becomes the 16th African country to recognise Bangladesh. An announcement from the foreign ministry of Ethiopia says Emperor Haile Selassie sent a message of recognition to Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh.

SOURCES: November 11, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.