বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ পঞ্চদশ খণ্ড foreign exchange account the earnings generated by exports from the Eastern wing could be maintained in account with the Dacca branch. Bifurcation of taxi collection presented a more complex problem, and it was agreed that the Awami League team would present a practical scheme to deal with this matter in interim phase.
The Awami League team itself to join their economic experts who had been meeting continuously at Professor Nurul Islam's residence. The amendments prepared by M.M. Ahmed were discussed and carefully formulated provision dealing with the collection, management of the foreign exchange current, as well as mode of dealing with foreign aid negotiations were prepared for presentation to the government said of the meeting later that evening.
On the evening of March 23, when the Awami League team returned to resume discussion on this economic provision, they learnt that Yahya had been away from Presidents House for the whole day indeed, Peerzada mentioned something about this being in the Cantonment and subsequent evidence was to show that March 23 had been the day when the 'Generals' had been meeting. Now we know for certain that it was at this time that the plan for operation Searchlight was given final approval and that two of its authors personally undertook helicopter rides on 24 March to pass the instruction to Brigade Commanders of their trust outside Dacca. The inference from these circumstances seems irresistible that the discussions which M.M. Ahmed was having with the Awami League team regarding financial and economic provisions were being prolonged by the government said merely to consume time and to provide a cover while real preparations were afoot in the Cantonment for implementation of a military solution'. By the morning of 24 March, the Awami League team had concluded discussions of this economic provision and for all questional purposes a clause-by-clause reading of the entire draft Proclamation. When the Awami League team was leaving for the evening session on March 24, Sheikh Mujib indicated that for the name of the State, we should propose 'Confederation of Pakistan'. He indicated that should explain that this was necessary to meet the sentiments of the people. The proposal in part reflected the intensity of popular sentiment for independence, here particularly as this was articulated by the young militants who were in the vanguard of the mass movement which was surging ahead.
When this proposal was put to the government said, they strongly objected arguing that this represented a fundamental change in our stand. We argued that a change in the name did not amount to a fundamental change when all the substantive provisions remained intact, so that a limited but viable federal government had been adequately provided for. Cornelius seemed to appreciate the word “Union” could be taken as a substitute for “Confederation". The Awami League then re-iterated its position, starting, however, that this point of difference related to a single word, and if the issue was not resolved, this matter could be resolved at the meeting of Sheikh Mujib and Yahya later, when the final draft was placed before them for their consideration.
The Awami League team could also sense that the situation outside was becoming very grave as the Army had moved to unload the M V Swat in Chittagong by using
