First year of Bangladesh: Bangabandhu’s nation-building challenges

FEBRUARY 5, 1972

PM’S RELIEF FUND OPENED

A fund titled ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund’ has been opened for collection of donations from philanthropic persons and organisations for relief in Bangladesh.

TK 2000CR PLAN TO REHABILITATE DISPLACED PERSONS

Rehabilitation Minister AHM Kamaruzzaman informs that the government has taken up a Tk 2000 crore long-term plan to rehabilitate the displaced persons in Bangladesh. They will be rehabilitated in a way that there will be no necessity of relief in the country. Four vocational institutes will be established in four divisions -- Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi -- to bring up children who have been rendered orphans during the War as valuable citizens of the country, he adds.

About 400 Pak agents arrested from Mirpur

About 400 collaborators and Pakistani agents are rounded up from Mirpur by the law enforcement agencies. According to police sources, huge quantities of arms and ammunition were recovered from the same area.

More than 17,000 non-Bengalis of Ishwardi loco-shed area peacefully surrender their arms to the district authorities. Earlier, a 24-hour curfew was imposed in the locality for the arms combing operation.

Mass grave found in Feni

Yet another example of Pakistani savagery comes to light with the discovery of a mass grave in Feni. A senior official of the district administration informs that about 3,000 skeletons were exhumed from the grave at the compound of a college.

FBCCI’s plea to earn more foreign exchange

Ashraf Ahmed, convener of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), urges Bangabandhu to adopt a policy to export goods against cash convertible foreign exchanges so that more foreign exchange can be earned and imports can be obtained from the cheapest sources. Barter trade should be avoided as far as possible, he requests.

Ashraf Ahmed also urges the government to set up a tariff commission immediately to review the present rate of customs duty and to allow import of motor car tyres, tubes, textiles, etc., from sources other than Pakistan as the import of these goods from Pakistan has been banned.

Govt. takes over 392 industries

A spokesperson of the government informs that the government has so far taken control of the production and management of 392 industries including 18 textile mills, 32 jute mills and 35 chemical industries.

Sources: February 6, 1972 issues of Dainik Bangla, The Daily Ittefaq, Azad, Morning News, The Bangladesh Observer and Purbodesh.