Dacca, Jan. 10: The Bangla Desh President, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, to-day expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, for her untiring efforts to secure his release. “There is no single big country which she did not approach for securing my release from Pakistani custody. Personally, I am grateful to her and will never forget it,” said the Bangla Bandhu addressing a mammoth public meeting here. The Sheikh said: “On this day, I convey my heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the seven and a half crore people of Bangla Desh, to the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, for what she, her Government and the people of India have done to help us in our deepest national crisis.” He said despite its own difficulties, India gave shelter to one crore of Bangla Desh people. “For this I express my gratitude to Mrs. Gandhi and the Indian people.” The Sheikh was all praise for the Indian Army, but for whom, he said “we could not have overcome the sufferings and oppressions at the hands of the Pakistani army so soon.”
