KARACHI: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ... said yesterday [March 13] that President Gen A.M. Yahya Khan would be “our guest” if he is coming to Bangla Desh and assured there would be no demonstrations on his arrival. Talking to newsmen in Dacca, the chief of the majority party, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said: “I am ready to meet the President” and added that there were no conditions. He further said that he had no idea when the President was coming to Dacca. Sheikh Mujib is awaiting the President’s reaction to the Awami League’s conditions for attending the National Assembly meeting set for March 25.

Meanwhile, Wali Khan, President of the National Awami Party, said in Dacca he had brought no message from the President who is in Karachi. Wali Khan, earlier had a 90-minute meeting with Sheikh Mujib, according to Radio Pakistan. … Khan Wali Khan told newsmen his talks with the Awami League chief will continue. ... Sheikh Mujib in a statement in Dacca ... said the [Martial Law] Order has come to him as a surprise since he had already called for the withdrawal of Martial Law. He said the promulgation of the order will only serve as provocation to the people.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2021