US delegation calls on Bangabandhu

November 24, 1972      

US CONGRESSIONAL TEAM HOLD TALKS WITH BANGABANDHU

The 11-member congressional delegation from the Agriculture Committee of the United States House of Representatives holds talks for about 40 minutes with Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Gono Bhaban today. Led by Chairman of the Committee William Robert Poage of Texas, the delegation arrives today on a 24-hour visit to Bangladesh to review US food aid to Bangladesh and the food grain situation in general. Bangabandhu gives them a picture of the needs of the country. He also explains to them the future programme the government is planning towards for the reconstruction of the country.

BANGABANDHU, JACKSON TALK UN RELIEF EFFORTS

Bangabandhu and Sir Robert Jackson, UN assistant secretary general, today confer on the further UN relief efforts in Bangladesh during next year. The current UN relief efforts which began sometime last year are likely to be terminated by next March when it was proposed the UNDP should take over. In view of the crop difficulties due to drought and reduced rainfall this season, the government urged the UN to extend the relief operation. The secretary general of the UN had in response to the Bangladesh request appealed to member countries to assist in extending the UN operations in Bangladesh. The appeal had indicated that Bangladesh would need about seven lakh tonnes of food grains during the next year. The final decision on the appeal is expected to be taken on November 30, 1972, when the General Assembly takes up the issue.

BANGLADESH-INDIA JOINT RIVERS BODY STATUTE SIGNED

The statute of the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission is signed today in Dhaka. The commission will be constituted with a chairman and three members. The chairmanship of the commission will be held annually in turn by Bangladesh and India. The function of the commission will be to maintain liaison between the participating countries in order to ensure the effective joint efforts in maximising the benefits from common river systems and to formulate detailed proposals on advance flood warnings, flood forecasting and cyclone warning.  

SOURCES: November 25, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.