Talks go nowhere

The military authorities clamped a curfew in Joydevpur following clashes between local people and the army. The trouble was triggered by Bengalis setting up barricades on the road to prevent the return of the military commander from Joydevpur to Dhaka in the afternoon. Three soldiers were badly wounded in the clashes. Two Bengalis were killed and five wounded when the soldiers fired into the crowd. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman condemned the army firing and stated, 'If they think they can suppress people's struggle by bullet and force, they simply live in a fool's paradise.'

On the day, Bangabandhu had a fresh round of talks with President Yahya Khan. He reiterated his earlier demands for a transfer of power and proposed that a mechanism be arrived at for a provisional period to work out the modalities for a hand-over of political authority from the junta to the elected representatives of the people. Mujib added that such a step could be taken through a presidential proclamation. In the evening, the advisers of the president had another session of talks with the Awami League team of advisers.

It was becoming gradually clear that the talks between the Awami League and the regime were going nowhere, that indeed there was a danger that they would soon collapse. On his way out of the President's House, Bangabandhu put up, as always, a brave face on the situation but at the same time repeated his warning that Bengalis would need to be prepared to offer greater sacrifices for the attainment of their goals.

A clear sense of gloom appeared to be coming into the scene.