বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিল : চতুর্থ খণ্ড
London and that he would not have to feed himself by begging. Anyway, it was still suggested that he should go to London where, at the airport, you could come and guarantee to British Immigration authorities about his upkeep during his stay in London.
Then came the final hurdle. The Aeroflaut ticket you sent made a journey via Moscow imperative. Because of the hurry the Aeroftuat office in Calcutta could not guarantee a seat on the flight from Moscow to London. However they suggested that Zahir should fly to Moscow anyway-and that it is most unlikely that he would have trouble to get a seat on the next plane to London. But they cleanly forgot to inform Zahir that without a confirmed seat from Moscow Soviet Union authorities do not allow transit passengers unless they have valid Soviet visa. This fact was revealed at Delhi airport where the Aeroflaut officials refused Zahir to board the plane because he hadn't a transit visa. I was there too-I had gone to Delhi to attend J. P. Narayan's international conference on Bangladesh. It was already too late. The next day, 19thwas a Sunday and the Soviet embassy in Delhi was closed. Moreover there was no plane before 20th. So I advised Zahir not to waste the ticket-as he could not attend your conference.
When the formalities were proving extremely difficult to overcome we had thought of sending somebody else with passport and all that. But it could not be done because you had sent the non-endorseable ticket in Zahir's name.
Anyway I think Zahir should still make the trip-perhaps next month. Perhaps you could use his presence at another meet on Bangladesh.
Can you fix up something for late October or early November?
Now another serious matter. One of our friends would be sent from here on a very important mission to London-for two or three weeks. Even I may be selected for the job although I'm not keen to leave Calcutta right now. It is essential that you arrange his return passage (one way-the outgoing passage would be provided by Bangladesh government. Again, while in London he will have to be put up-lodging and food. Can you help? You must not ask any question about his mission or its nature. Nor should anybody else know-nobody except the minimum one or two about why he is in London. Let me know if you could be depended upon?
How did the conference go? Send me report for publication here. We also need a correspondent for weekly 'People'. Can you suggest a name?
Alamgir.
