January 2, 1973

BANGABANDHU VISITS PIROJPUR

Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman today says some have realised that people would not vote for them and they are trying to create disruption to foil the elections. Addressing a mammoth gathering at Pirojpur, Bangabandhu says the people would go to polls again. He adds that he could have stayed in power for five years; instead of that he is going to the people for their mandate. If he is not given the mandate he would go, reiterates the prime minister.

Explaining why he accepted prime ministership on his return from Pakistan, Bangabandhu says people call him Father of the Nation, prime ministership is nothing to him. "I was compelled to accept the prime ministership so that help could come from all over the world," he adds.  He points out that 97 countries of the world have already recognised Bangladesh.

Bangabandhu asks people to work hard for the reconstruction of the war-ravaged economy of the country. He asks the workers to produce more in the mills and factories and the farmers to increase yields in the field.

Bangabandhu further declares that any act of communalism would not be allowed to crop up on the soil of Bangladesh.

TOTAL HARTAL IN CITY

The life in the capital comes to a standstill today as response to the call for nine-hour hartal was enthusiastic and complete.  The call for hartal was given separately by a number of organisations to protest yesterday's police firing which claimed two young lives.

Source: January 3, 1973 issues of Dainik Bangla, The Bangladesh Observer and Ittefaq.