Bangabandhu reaches Geneva
August 21, 1972
BANGABANDHU IN GENEVA
Following his gallbladder surgery on July 31, Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman flies to Geneva on a chartered plane from London today for convalescence in Switzerland as a guest of the Swiss Government. Bangabandhu is greeted on his arrival in Geneva by the Swiss observer at the UN Ambassador Umbert. In London, before the prime minister's plane took off, a Bangladeshi spokesman says that Bangabandhu would not be willing to meet Pakistan President ZA Bhutto without formal recognition of Bangladesh by Pakistan. Informed sources, however, say that efforts are underway to bring about a meeting of the two leaders through their common friends not connected with the Pakistani administration.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Bangladesh officials inform that the length of the prime minister's stay in Geneva would depend on the advice of his doctors but it is thought that he would be in Switzerland for about two weeks. Meanwhile, Bangladesh envoys to Paris, Bonn, Stockholm, East Berlin, Moscow, Warsaw and Belgrade are converging in Geneva for the conference of the Bangladesh envoys to the European countries. Bangabandhu will address the conference.
PAK APPEAL TO THE UN
Pakistan asks the UN Security Council today to disregard Bangladesh's application for membership until it releases all Pakistani prisoners of war and other detainees.
CABINET BODY REVIEWS FOOD POSITION
The Cabinet sub-committee on foodstuff and commodities under the chairmanship of acting Prime Minister Nazrul Islam meets today to review the stock of food grains and other essential commodities in the country. The sub-committee meets every alternate day to review the food position and take necessary decisions. An emergency operation room headed by a senior officer has been working since June 1, 1972 to deal exclusively with food price and the law and order situation in the country. The cell is located at the prime minister's secretariat.
SOURCES: August 22, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.
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