June 8, 1971

The reported statement of Pakistan President Yahya Khan that he would take "genuine refugees" back into Pakistan met with sharp reaction from the Bangladesh government today. A spokesman of the Bangladesh government said, "It does not suit General Yahya Khan's mouth to say anything about the refugees of Bangladesh who have been driven out from the country by his genocidal war against the total population of Bangladesh."

WE'LL AID REFUGEES, NOT PINDI, SAYS UK

British Foreign Secretary Sir Alec Douglas Hume pledged more British aid to Bangladesh evacuees in India but ruled out further aid to Pakistan itself until there was a "political framework" within which to apply the aid so that it can go, a great deal of it, to East Pakistanis. Speaking on the BBC television public affairs programme "Panorama" today, he said the ideal situation would be a political solution so that the refugees can go home. "But Pakistan is an independent country and we cannot force the solution on them," added Sir Hume.

CHOLERA: EMERGENCY DECLARED IN KOLKATA

Cholera was taking rapid stride towards Kolkata. The West Bengal government alerted the city corporation and all the municipalities in border towns about the possibility of an outbreak of the disease in an epidemic form. In the refugee camps, not far from the city, the disease was raging in virulent form. According to unofficial reports, already 4,000 evacuees had fallen victim to the disease.

5 AL LEADERS SENTENCED IN ABSENTIA

Five top Awami League leaders -- Tajuddin Ahmad, Syed Nazrul Islam, Abdul Mannan, Tofail Ahmed and Abidur Rahman -- were sentenced in absentia to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and confiscation of half of their properties by a special military tribunal in East Pakistan today.

MUKTI FOUJ INTENSIFIES GUERILLA ATTACKS

Bangladeshi freedom fighters intensified their guerilla attacks on the West Pakistani army detachments and patrols in Bangladesh. They blasted grenades in different part of Dhaka including Gulistan and Paltan. In Sector 2, freedom fighters ambushed Pakistan army contingents in several places. Pakistan army suffered heavy casualties in these engagements. In the Rangpur sector, Mukti Fouj destroyed two bridges and inflicted heavy casualty on the occupation army. 

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at sajen1986@gmail.com