‘Launch war on poverty, hunger’

FEBRUARY 9, 1972

WORKERS, VANGUARD OF THE SECOND WAR

Bangabandhu calls for “committing ourselves to a strategy of total mobilisation of our resources, human and material”. 

In a press statement, he says that the war of liberation ended in the historic victory of the people. “Today we have to launch another war, the war against poverty, hunger, homelessness, disease and illiteracy.”

The Prime Minister notes that the first condition in this war of rebuilding the country’s economy is that “our industries must go into full production.”

He calls upon the workers to form the vanguard of the “second war” and to make four commitments to the task of national cooperation: 1. They shouldn’t allow any consideration to stand in the way of taking up their posts to put the wheels of industry into motion, 2. Workers must exert themselves to maximise production, 3. They must regard industrial assets and stocks as part of national wealth and assume responsibility to protect them and 4. For now, the workers should continue to accept existing wages and other benefits. 

Bangabandhu assures the workers that a plan is being prepared whereby measures of nationalisation would be combined with new arrangements to ensure workers’ participation in the management of industries.

BANGABANDHU MOVES TO HIS OWN HOUSE

Bangabandhu today moves into his own house in Dhanmondi road no 32 in the capital, for the first time since March 25 last year. 

TROOPS PULL-OUT IN FULL SWING

The withdrawal of Indian troops from Bangladesh is in full swing. More than 8,000 troops have pulled out from Cumilla, Dinajpur and Jessore in the past two days.

FRIENDSHIP WITH ALL NATIONS

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad declares that Bangladesh is now a reality above all contentions and the country is ready to have friendly relations with other countries. Referring to the US, he says, “We are even ready to extend our friendship to those countries which have not supported our liberation struggle, if these countries are willing to maintain a friendship.”

NURUL AMIN, GOLAM AZAM, HAMIDUL , SABUR AND 11 OTHERS SUMMONED

Nurul Amin, Hamidul Huq Chouwdhury, Khan A Sabur, Golam Azam and 11 persons who have been absconding to avoid appearance for an inquiry under the Bangladesh Collaborators Special Tribunal Order, 1972, have been directed to appear before their respective sub-divisional magistrates on or before 3pm on February 22, 1972, according to a government announcement.  

The handout says that the properties standing in the names of these individuals or in the names of their banamders have also been attached under the Collaborators Order.

Sources: February 10, 1972 issues of Dainik Bangla, The Daily Ittefaq, Azad, Morning News, The Bangladesh Observer and Purbodesh.