December 18, 1972       

RULE OF LAW AT ANY COST

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declares today that the rule of law will be established at any cost. In his speech on the occasion of the inauguration of the Supreme Court, the prime minister seeks cooperation of the people in general and the lawyers in particular to help establish the rule of law in the country. In order to establish rule of law, the constitution has been passed in such a short time, he says.

He further says that the judiciary will be separated from the executive, which will not interfere in the judicial functions, but the separation will not be absolute because there has to be coordination among the three organs of the state, namely the judiciary, the executive and the legislature. In the absence of this coordination there would be chaos in every organ of the government. Bangabandhu pays homage to those lawyers who laid down their lives during the liberation movement.

Bangabandhu furthers says Bangla has to be made the working language in all offices, including courts. There would be difficulty in introducing this language but the initiative has to be taken in spite of difficulties. 

BHASHANI WANTS ALL-PARTY GOVT BEFORE POLLS

Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, president of the Bangladesh National Awami Party, reaffirms today his party's decision to contest all 300 seats in the ensuing general elections and suggests the formation of an all-party national government for holding free and fair elections. Addressing a press conference at the NAP office, Bhashani asks the government to take steps immediately to stop secret killings in order to restore law and order and create a congenial election atmosphere. He also urges the government to stop what he terms the abuse of the Collaborator's Act. The Maulana alleges that the preparation of the voters' list is faulty and a large number of people are not enrolled.

BANGABANDHU VISITS FOREIGN OFFICE

The prime minister today pays an unscheduled visit to the Foreign Office while on his way to his secretariat. At the Foreign Office, Bangabandhu has discussions with Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad for about half an hour.

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