`Bangladesh will top India within 10 years’

July 25, 1972

BANGABANDHU WILL UNDERGO OPERATION

Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is leaving for London tomorrow afternoon. He will undergo an operation for the removal of a stone from his gallbladder. During the prime minister's absence from the country Syed Nazrul Islam will act as prime minister. Begum Sheikh Mujib, Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Rehana will accompany the prime minister to London. Bangabandhu's personal physician Prof Nurul Islam will also go with him.

SIMANTA GANDHI CONGRATULATES BANGLADESH

Simanta Gandhi Abdul Gaffar Khan today expresses his hope that Bangladesh will fare better than India on development within 10 years. He congratulates Bangladeshi people for achieving independence through supreme sacrifice.

BANGLADESH WILL SOON ENTER UN

The UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim says today that with the process of normalisation now in progress in the Indian sub-continent it should be possible to admit Bangladesh into the United Nations soon. He, however, says that the move should come from the Security Council.

JAKARTA TRIP SUCCESSFUL

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad tells newsmen today at the airport that his Jakarta trip was "highly successful". Indonesia appreciated Bangladesh's position on issues like prisoners of war and Bangalees stranded in Pakistan. Indonesia has also assured its active support for Bangladesh's entry into the UN, adds Abdus Samad Azad. Individually, the Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr Adam Malik is currently the president of the UN General Assembly.

The foreign minister further informs that Adam Malik shared the concern of Bangladesh and her people over the delay in the recognition of Bangladesh by Pakistan. He had been made to realise that the equation between POWs and stranded Bangalees in Pakistan is an absurd proposition.  Abdus Samad says that Pakistan's attempts to sell the lies that there is a possibility of reunification has been rejected by all including Indonesia as "bogus". The possibility of meaningful cooperation between Bangladesh and Indonesia in the fields of trade and other economic affairs was also discussed in detail, informs the foreign minister.

SOURCES: July 26, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.