Mujib tries to restore order

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33730, 31 December 1974, Page 9

Mujib tries to restore order

.V Z F .4 Reuter—Copyright 1 D \CC\. December 30. Armed with near-dictatorial powers the Prime Minister. Sheikh Mujihur Rahman, yesterday launched a dri\e against banditry and political \ iolenct that has killed 3000 of his followers since Bangladesh gained independence.

Authorities sent the streets of Dacca, said that troops and r key positions in lesser the country. I The emergency rule decreed by Sheikh Mujib empowered him to take virtually whatever measures he deems necessary to restore law and order and rescue this three-year-old country’s sinking economy. His decision won praise j from most of the capital’s! newspapers. Observers predicted the emergency should! generate new Government measures to bring the armyj increasingly into play. “The obvious intention of! the Government is to flush

increased patrols into Reports in the capital militiamen also took up cities and towns across -•out centres of reaction and - agencies of exploitation dur--ling the state of emergency," ■ said the influential "Banglajidesh Times.” run by a ; nephew of the Prime Mini•jster. • “Political killings, acts of i sabotage, hoarding, profiteerding, smuggling and antipeople activities should not I be tolerated,” said one of the ! country’s major trade unions jin a proclamation hailing the decree. fl Sheikh Mujib had warned ('several times in recent

(months that something dras I tic would have to be done tt restore order ' Observers believed he wat finallv pushed into the enter genev decree bv the Decent her 25 killing of a populai (member of his ruling Awant [League partv, who was shot down as he prayed at i | Mosque. j The victim was the sixth Awant i League Parliament arian killed since independence. Authorities report about 3000 lesser Awami League • supporters also have been killed, along with an unknown number of other victims. i The killers have never been ! precisely identified. but Sheikh Mujib. in announcing

Man Armv. extremists. and i- Independent diplomatic li'manv of (he killing- are 'he 't)result ot infighting among al corrupt local officials