MARCH 22, 1971: Yahya postpones March 25 Nat'l Assembly session

Pakistan's president Yahya Khan declared postponement of March 25 National Assembly saying it was deferred to create unity among the political parties and leaders through discussions.

In the morning, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Pakistan People's Party chief Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Yahya sat in a meeting at the president's house.

It was the sixth meeting between the president and Bangabandhu which lasted for about one hour and fifteen minutes.

At the beginning, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked the president if he had gone through the Awami League proposal regarding a proclamation and whether the regime agreed to it.

Yahya said before the enforcement of the proclamation, he needed assent of Pakistan People's Party.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman told the president to pursue Bhutto into accepting the proclamation idea quickly otherwise the situation would be deteriorated further.

After the meeting, Bangabandhu, the chief of Awami League, described the ongoing movement as the struggle for total emancipation of seven crore Bangalis.

He told journalists that the movement would continue until the final goal was achieved.

On the same day, Bhutto told a news conference in Dhaka that his party was examining the draft proclamation the Awami League and the government had been discussing over the past few days.

Bhutto said they were examining the broad agreement reached between the President and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and assured that his party would make every effort to reach an understanding to end the present crisis.

[Source: Liberation War Museum and The Daily Star Archive]