Bangabandhu to continue as party chief

APRIL 8, 1972

AL COUNCIL RESOLUTION PASSED

Bangladesh Awami League Council today unanimously adopts a resolution requesting Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to continue as the president of the organisation till the next session of the Council. The Council also bestows upon Bangabandhu full power to form an organising committee for Bangladesh Awami League and organising committees for the districts.

Bangabandhu, however, tries to convince the councillors that he should be given the option not to retain president-ship if he can manage to organise the party without heading it himself. But the councillors insist on his accepting the decision of the council, the supreme body of the Awami League party.

The Council meeting also adopts the new red and green four-starred flag as the flag of the party.  The red colour signifies the blood of the shaheeds and the green represents the greenery of Bangladesh. The four stars inscribed on the flag represent the four principles of nationalism, democracy, secularism and socialism.

INDIRA SENDS MESSAGE TO BHUTTO

The Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi has sent a message to President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan, expressing India's readiness to start direct talks with Pakistan with the aim of ensuring a long-term and stable peace in the subcontinent. The message proposes to hold talks without any preliminary conditions. Meanwhile, a government spokesman of Pakistan stresses that Pakistan's attitude is favourable to the proposal of holding a summit meeting to settle disputes between the two countries.

3 SEPARATE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS

Bangladesh government today announces that the combined command of the Bangladesh Forces has been abolished and replaced by three separate service headquarters, each under a chief of staff. The decision is part of an announcement appointing chiefs of staff for the three services following the resignation of General MA Osmany yesterday. 

PM NEEDS 2 LAKH AL VOLUNTEERS IN 2 MONTHS

Bangabandhu in his winding up speech at the plenary session of the Party Council says that within the next two months he requires two lakh volunteers. The Awami League chief tells the party members that only by wearing a four-star cap one would not become an Awami Leaguer.

JOINT RIVER COMMISSION TO BE SET UP

India and Bangladesh have decided to establish a permanent joint river commission. The commission, consisting of experts of both countries, will carry out a comprehensive survey of the common river systems and formulate and implement flooding control projects.

SOURCES: April 9, 1972 issues of Ittefaq, The Bangladesh Observer, Azad, Morning News, Dainik Bangla and Purbodesh.