Shun parochialism

July 18, 1972

BANGABANDHU VISITS NARAYANGANJ

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman today visits Adamjeenagar, Narayanganj and addresses a mammoth public meeting attended by workers in large number. The prime minister reiterates his advice to workers to shun parochialism. "I advise you to give up parochialism not as your prime minister but as your Mujib Bhai, Bangabandhu and Father of the Nation," he says.

In an emotion-choked voice Bangabandhu says that he would rather prefer his death to see the workers quarreling among themselves over regionalism. He regrets that some people are sowing seeds of discord among the workers. They are visiting the workers' quarters and spreading hate campaign among workers of different districts. Bangabandhu maintains that all the workers and people of Bangladesh have only one identity -- Bengali. There can't be any differentiation on district-basis, he adds.

Mentioning that his government has exempted land tax upto 25 bighas the prime minister says that he has a demand on the peasants: produce one maund more in every bigha.

PM WARNS MURDERERS

In his Adamjeenagar speech, Bangabandhu sounds a note of stern warning against those who are engaged in political murders. He mentions that at least 70 workers of Awami League have been murdered during the last six months. He says that during the 24 years of Pakistan, nobody ever dared to touch his political workers. But as he is now in power, some quarters are taking advantage of the situation and killing his political workers. The prime minister observes that political assassination is no politics and would never bring any good to the country. He wonders whether these elements have misjudged his forbearance as weakness. He says that his government is determined to maintain law and order at any cost. Bangabandhu asks the criminal elements to rectify themselves or face the consequences.

CHINESE HELP FOR UN ENTRY SOUGHT

Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad today gives it to understand that China will not exercise its vote in the Security Council to thwart Bangladesh's entry to the UN in September. The foreign minister has dispatched a letter to Peking soliciting her help for Bangladesh's entry to the UN.

SOURCES: July 19, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dianik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.