Bangladesh needs urgent relief
MARCH 16, 1972
DUCSU LIFE MEMBERSHIP FOR BANGABANDHU
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is today conferred life membership by the Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU). The honour is announced by the VP and general secretary of DUCSU on the occasion of the birthday of Bangabandhu.
$100 MILLION NEEDED FOR BANGLADESH
Dr Erna Seiler, leader of the visiting UN High-level Consultants' Mission, estimates that Bangladesh requires four to five lakh tonnes of food grains by June, 1972. She fears 'serious consequences' if this quantity of food grain is not made available. She hopes that the UN Secretary General will devote all his energies to send to Bangladesh the $100 million worth of materials, for which she sent a cable to the UN Headquarters yesterday.
INDIAN AID FOR BANGLADESH
Surendra Pal Singh, deputy minister for External Affairs, India states in the Lok Sabha today that while no detailed plan for trade with Bangladesh has yet been negotiated, arrangements have been made to supply food items, agricultural inputs and miscellaneous raw materials in the light of discussion with the government of Bangladesh. He informs that so far, the following aids have been given to Bangladesh: a foreign exchange loan of five million pounds sterling, commodity aid of Rs 25 crore, a loan of Rs 10 crore for rehabilitation of railways, a loan for purchase of two ships from India, another loan for purchasing two Fokker friendship aircraft, a loan for supply of telecommunication equipment and a loan for the supply of wheat and rice valued at Rs 50 crore, on a grant basis.
US RELIEF FOR BANGLADESH CUT BY 60 PERCENT
The US has cancelled more than 60 percent of the $158 million committed for humanitarian relief in Bangladesh, says a State Department official.
Earlier, Senator Edward Kennedy accused the US Administration of misleading the public over the American aid commitment to Bangladesh. He said that only a relatively small amount of the promised aid had been delivered and the administration was using the excuse of poor distribution facilities in Bangladesh to hold up the relief.
1,000 BANGALEES WILL BE BACK HOME SOON
The repatriation of Bangalees from Pakistan and Pakistanis from Bangladesh will commence soon, according to the Bangladesh government's foreign ministry spokesman. In the first phase of repatriation, 1,000 persons will be exchanged between the two countries. Preference will be given to persons who are alone and away from their families. Ailing and injured persons will also be given preference in the first batch.
SOURCES: March 17, 1972 issues of Dainik Bangla, The Daily Ittefaq, Azad, Morning News, The Bangladesh Observer and Purbodesh.
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