পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৮১৪

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ ৩০৯। আশা ও বিভ্রান্তির মাঝখানে হিন্দুস্থান স্ট্যান্ডার্ড ৪ জুন, ১৯৭১ HINDUSTAN STANDARD, JUNE 4, 1971 BETWEEN HOPES AND ILLUSIONS By Pran Chopra Like people who must settle down patiently to the long days of the loo, the refugees from Bangladesh must settle down to the six-months wait Mrs. Gandhi has been talking about. But after the heat of the loo comes a pleasant monsoon. What lies at the end of the six months' wait? Mrs. Gandhi's speech in the Lok Sabha on May 24 is in some ways an advance upon her previous speeches. The fact that for the first time she spoke about Bangladesh, not East Bengal, would have signified little by itself. But it was heavily underscored by the tone of her speech which was altogether more serious more loaded with warnings about the consequences which may follow if no one pays heed to the plight of Bangladesh and the burden which Pakistan has thrown upon India. But she gave away very little about how much heed she thinks anyone is going to pay. The ominous note in her speech has been interpreted in two ways; that Yahya Khan is softening up under the pressure of events and a little thunder in her speeches will bring India some credit for what is likely to happen anyhow, or alternatively that the world is indeed taking "unconscionably long" to wake up to realities and she must prepare India which might follow. But the most likely interpretation is the least unlikable of the three: that while concern about the emerging realities is certainly growing within the Government variable rhetoric is the only answer we have found as yet. So far, we have not squarely faced the possibility that neither the foreseeable internal nor external pressure may prove sufficient for (he gentlemen in Islamabad and to ensure India's security it can become necessary for the Government to take "all measures" about which Mrs. Gandhi spoke. The pressure which India would like to see international sources apply upon Islamabad is mainly economic. It is firmly believed in New Delhi that West Pakistan will have to come to a political settlement with East Bengal or else give it up, if it is not allowed to defer its international repayment obligations and, beyond what was already on the way at the end of March is not given any further aid for the next six months or so. In that event, it is thought West Pakistan will not be able to wage even the limited scale operations which would still be needed to cope with such fighting capability as the Mukti Fauj is still able to muster the rest will be seen to by differences within the military junta in Islamabad and between the army and aspiring politicians who will want more power than embattled army commanders are usually willing to transfer to political hands. This prescription is correct. But one does not see any pharmacy which is willing to dispense it. As far as India is formally aware and officially the only economic denial to which the aid giving countries find themselves committed is that all the foreign aided products in East Bengal have come to a halt and there is little likelihood of their being resumed for several months perhaps for two or three years. But this is less proof the