688 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড The Secretary- of the Preparatory Committee in his circular letter dated 10th September 1971, after detailing the atrocities committed by the Yahya regime in Bangladesh, observes: "Yet, the world has failed to respond adequately to the cry of the suffering people of Bangladesh for sympathy and support to their struggle for existence with dignity and honor'; and "it is hard to understand the inordinate cynicism and indifference of the world governments towards such a grim human tragedy". I do share these feelings and only add that it is not at all surprising certain Governments and parties who believe in varied forms of colonialism and its perpetuation do not and cannot extend their sympathy and support to the struggle of Bangladesh. What is regrettably shocking is that several Governments and political parties which openly proclaim their support to the cause of oppressed nations and nationalities and their struggles for national liberation are either lukewarm in their response to the Bangladesh struggle or in some cases even hostile. It may not be, relevant that I attempt here the possible reasons for this sad state of affairs. However, it is extremely heartening to note that all the democratic and progressive forces in our country-and in fact the entire people-have magnificently responded to the cause of Bangladesh and its suffering and fighting people. It is this massive popular support and sympathy that pressurized the Government of India to openly associate itself with the cause of Bangladesh, and the unanimous resolution adopted by the Indian Parliament is a proof positive of the same. I am of the firm opinion that the measure of success we achieve in securing the ever increasing sympathy and support of the international community depends, first and foremost, on the tenacity of the armed resistance of the freedom fighters of Bangladesh and on the solid and united sympathy and support provided to this smuggle by the democratic forces in our country. It is again this that can prevent the frequently found vacillation and hesitation on the part of the Indian Government, the vacillation and hesitation which, in the present context, may prove disastrous to the whole cause which we all hold dear, unless it is arrested in time. In order to secure ever wider mobilization of our people in support of this great cause of Bangladesh it is not enough to have a mere sentimental approach to the issue, an approach which plays on the crimes and horrors of Yahya's militarist regime. Nor is it sufficient to highlight the problem of refugees and its socio-economic consequences on the Indian Union. However important all these are by themselves, they are not sufficient to deepen the mass political understanding on the question of Bangladesh and the democratic values this struggle upholds. I am of the view that very few people in our country, even the newspaper reading public, are clearly aware of the well-known six-point programme set forth by the Awami League, as early as 1966, even though it is vaguely talked about. In the absence of a conceited campaign regarding this six-point programme and its rejection by the then Ayub Khan regime and subsequently by the Yahya Khan Junta, despite the massive electoral verdict in its favor in the elections of 1970, the Government of Pakistan, in some measure, may succeed in confusing the public opinion in India as well as in the world outside. The mischievous campaign that Indian support is motivated by its
