NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Government today [Aug 17] lifted the curfew for 12 hours ... considering the situation [was] “fast retu­r­n­ing to normalcy”, Radio Bangladesh repor­ted. It also said all domestic transport had re­­su­m­­ed, including internal flights of Ban­g­ladesh Air­­ways. However, international fli­ghts in and out of Bangladesh remained suspended for the third day. International communications also were still severed, leaving the Ba­­ngla­de­­sh Government radio as the only main source of news from the country. The Radio added that the Foreign Office had begun contacting the country’s missions abroad. Mean­while, Mau­lana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani has exten­ded his full support to President Khondkar.

[In a related report from Calcutta,] Presi­dent Khondkar Mushtaq Ahmad ... sent a me­ssage of thanks to Prime Minister Bhutto for recognition of his Government, according to Dacca Radio. Pakistan ... became the first country to recognise the new Govern­ment in Dacca. In doing so, [PM] Bhutto also appealed to the Islamic and Third World countries to recognise the new regime in Bangladesh. Simultaneously, Mr Bhutto announced a food and cloth gift for the people of Bangladesh.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2025