the Minister is obliged to lay the reasons before each House as soon as possible, but in any case within fifteen sitting days of that House. A statement of reasons for withholding assent is also presented to the Legislative Council.

The Northern Territory (Administration) Act also provides for an Administrator's Council consisting of the Administrator, and two official and three elected members of the Legislative Council. Each member of the Administrator's Council (other than the Administrator) is appointed by the Minister on the nomination of the Administrator and, subject to the Act, holds office during the pleasure of the Minister. The Council's function is to advise the Administrator on any matters referred to it by the Administrator and on other matters as provided in the Ordinances of the Territory.

The Supreme Court of the Northern Territory is the highest judicial tribunal in the Territory and is the only court possessing jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters, and appeals from its judgement may be taken to the Full Court of the High Court of Australia. Federal jurisdiction in bankruptcy is exercised by the Supreme Court through the Bankruptcy Act 1924-1960. There are of course courts of summary jurisdiction and local courts with limited jurisdiction in civil matters. There are also wardens' courts constituted by the mining laws, and licensing courts having jurisdiction in liquor licensing matters, etc.

The Social Welfare Ordinance provides for care and assistance to all persons socially and economically in need, including Aborigines. There is no legislative discrimination against Aborigines.

Most land held from the Crown is held on leasehold, as provided for by the Crown Lands, Darwin Town Area Leases, Special Purposes Leases, Church Lands Leases and Agricultural Development Leases Ordinances. Provision is made for the control of mining, fisheries and pearling. The Director of Agriculture and Animal Industry has wide powers in regard to the movements of stock, control of stock routes, disease prevention, etc.

Local government was reconstituted in Darwin on the 1st July 1957. Darwin is now a city with a Council consisting of the Mayor and eight aldermen elected by electors of the municipality.

PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

The Northern Territory Representation Act 1922-1959 provides for the election of a member for the Territory to the House of Representatives. For some years prior to an amendment of the Act in 1959 the member had no vote in the House, although he could take part in debates in the House. Amendments passed in 1959 gave the member limited voting rights in respect of matters which relate solely to the Northern Territory. The Act was further amended in 1968 and the member representing the Northern Territory now has the same voting rights as other members of the House of Representatives.

B

BANGLADESH

ANGLADESH, formerly East Pakistan, is comprised of the old province of

East Bengal, together with the Sylhet district of Assam. Its area is 55,126 square miles. Most of Bangladesh consists of an alluvial plain, forming part of the Gangetic delta. It is crossed by a network of navigable rivers, including the eastern arms of the Ganges, the Jamuna (or Brahmaputra) and the Meghna, flowing into the Bay of Bengal.

The climate is tropical and monsoon, hot and extremely humid during the summer and mild and dry during the short winter. The rainfall is heavy, ranging from 50 inches to 135 inches in different districts and the bulk of it falls during the monsoon season (from June to September). The mean temperature during the winter (November to February) is about 20°C (68°F) and during the hot season 30°C (86°F).

The population, according to the 1961 Pakistan Census, was 50,840,235. 1961 census figures for the main towns were Dacca 556,712 and Chittagong 364,205. The estimated present population is between 65 million and 75 million. (During spring and summer 1971 when Pakistan attempted to retain East Pakistan by force, several million refugees fled to India. Most of these are however reported to have returned. A large number of Bangalees were also killed in the military operations).

The capital of Bangladesh is Dacca. The offices of the Central Government and the Diplomatic Missions are situated there.

The national language is Bengali but English is still widely used.

According to the 1961 Census, 80-4% of the population of East Pakistan were Muslims, 8.6% Caste Hindu, 9.8% Scheduled Caste Hindu and 0.3% Christian. Most of the Hindus fled to India during spring and summer 1971 (see above and below). It is not clear how many have returned.

National Day: 26th March.

EDUCATION

Under the Pakistan Government primary education (from 6-11) was free but not universal. There are universities at Dacca and Rajshahi, an Agricultural University at Mymensingh and Technological Universities at Dacca and Chittagong. In 1961 literacy was estimated at 17·6% of the whole East Pakistani population and 26.0% of the male population. Educational facilities were disrupted during 1971.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Principal seaports, with total import and export tonnages for 1969-70 in millions, were Chittagong 4.7, Chalna 1.7. A National Shipping Corporation has been set up by the new Bangladesh Government. The principal airports with runway lengths in feet are Dacca (10,500) and Chittagong (7,500). A national airline, Bangladesh Biman, has been set up but services are as yet infrequent and the network small.

There are about 3,900 miles of roads in Bangladesh: 2,400 miles are metalled. There are 2,600 miles of railway track.

Radio Bangladesh is the main national broadcasting service. A television service was introduced in Dacca in 1965.

During the military operations of 1971 and the Indo-Pakistan war, many bridges, roads and railways were destroyed and the communications system disrupted. Repair operations are still in progress.

EMERGENCE OF BANGLADESH

Prior to the end of 1971 Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan (see previous Year Books).

In December 1970 national elections under the Legal Framework Order of 30th March 1970 were held in Pakistan for the Constituent Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies as a first step towards democratic rule and the ending of Martial Law under the President and Chief Martial Law Administrator, Yahya Khan. A new Constitution was to be formulated in the Constituent Assembly within 120 days of its meeting.

East Pakistan had long felt itself to be neglected by the Islamabad Government; in addition it was a separate entity, not only geographically but linguistically and culturally. The elections showed the strength of this feeling by the overwhelming support given by the East Pakistanis to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League, whose Six Point Programme demanded a better deal for East Pakistan and the strengthening of its powers as against those of the Central Government. The Awami League won 167 seats out of 300 seats in the National Assembly. In West Pakistan, the People's Party under Mr Z. A. Bhutto, won 81 seats in the National Assembly and as a result Mr Bhutto emerged as the leader of the West Wing.

In January 1971 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mr Bhutto consulted on the form that the new Constitution should take but failed to reach agreement and the meeting of the National Assembly was deferred from 13th February to 3rd March. Disagreement persisted however, and Mr Bhutto threatened not to attend the meeting of the Assembly. On 1st March President Yahya Khan postponed the Assembly sine die. Lieutenant General Yaqub Khan was appointed Martial Law Administrator for East Pakistan and assumed additional civil administration duties in place of the former Governor, Vice-Admiral Ahsan.

Following the postponement of the National Assembly, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared a hartal (strike) and non-cooperation movement in East Pakistan from 2nd March 1971. This continued for the next three weeks and the Awami League in effect assumed control of East Pakistan. On 3rd March the President invited Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to attend a meeting of all elected party leaders in Dacca on 10th March; Mujib refused.

On 6th March the President announced that the National Assembly would meet on 25th March in Dacca and Mr Bhutto agreed to attend. On 7th March however, Sheikh Mujib announced in a speech that he would only attend the Assembly on four pre-conditions: the withdrawal of Martial Law, the return of troops in East Pakistan to their barracks, the establishment of an official enquiry into the shooting of a number of civilians in East Pakistan on 2nd March, and the transfer of power to the elected representatives.

President Yahya Khan flew to Dacca on 15th March for consultations with Sheikh Mujib and later with Mr Bhutto, which continued until 22nd March when it appeared that there was hope of an agreement. On 23rd March (Pakistan Day) the President broadcast to the nation saying that the stage was set for the

elected representatives to work together for the common goal. Hope of agreement however proved illusory.

On the night of 25th-26th March the Army took control of Dacca and arrested Sheikh Mujib as a traitor. He was subsequently flown to West Pakistan and put on trial in September 1971. The President returned to West Pakistan and never again visited East Pakistan. Other major cities in East Pakistan were also taken by the Army and there was considerable loss of life. On 26th March in a broadcast to the nation, the President announced a ban on the Awami League as a political party, on all political activities and ordered complete press censorship.

Awami League leaders who escaped the Army fled over the border to India and set up in Calcutta, a “Government-in-Exile” on 15th April. On 17th April the formal ceremony of independence of Bangladesh took place at Mujibnagar in East Pakistan. The Acting President of the "Government" in the absence of Sheikh Mujib was Syed Nazrul Islam and the Prime Minister was Tajuddin Ahmed. Orders for the liberation struggle were issued and the Prime Minister and the President broadcast from India repeatedly in the ensuing months calling for the international recognition of Bangladesh. Envoys were sent round the world pleading for diplomatic and financial support, and missions were set up in America, the UK, India and several other countries.

East Pakistan freedom fighters, the Mukti Fauj (later called the Mukti Bahini) were composed of the East Pakistan Rifles, the East Bengal Regiment, East Pakistani police, students and other sympathisers of the cause of an independent East Pakistan. They too received Indian support and training and their activities escalated during the summer. The C-in-C was Colonel M. A. Osmani, who was also a Minister in the "Government”.

There were conflicting reports of conditions in East Pakistan, the Pakistan Government declaring that the situation was under control, whilst Indian sources emphasized the success of the Mukti Bahini.

As a result of the military operations millions of refugees fled from East Pakistan into India and were housed in camps in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura.

In East Pakistan roads, railways and bridges were destroyed; industry ground to a halt and agriculture suffered from devastation and lack of manpower.

On 6th May the Pakistan Government issued a statement accusing the Awami League of making secret plans to achieve independence by force on 26th March with the assistance of India.

Awami League leaders were tried in absentia by the Pakistan Government and sentences of imprisonment and confiscation of property imposed.

On 21st May President Yahya Khan appealed to the refugees to return to East Pakistan. The appeal was repeated on 18th June and the refugees assured of "full protection and every facility". On 10th June the Government again appealed to the refugees to return and offered a general amnesty to include military deserters and politicians. Reception centres for the refugees were set up over the border. Only a few thousand are believed to have returned home via these centres. The amnesty was announced again on 4th September.

On 28th June President Yahya Khan promised a Constitution prepared by a group of experts and the restoration of civilian rule within the next 3-4 months. The Awami League would continue to be banned as a political party, but individual party members deemed not guilty of subversion would be allowed to

retain their seats in the Assembly. By-elections would be held to fill the seats left vacant by disqualified Amawi League members.

On 18th July Dr A. M. Malik, a Bengali, was appointed as Yahya Khan's Special Assistant for Displaced Persons, Relief and Rehabilitation Operations in East Pakistan.

By August the Army was in control of the major towns and most lines of communication. Insurgency and the activities of the Mukti Bahini continued however, and Awami League leaders rejected the attempts of the Pakistan Government to prepare the way for civilian rule in the context of a united state. They stood for nothing less than the complete independence of East Bengal.

On 7th August the names were published of 88 Awami League Members of the National Assembly who were permitted to retain their seats. Dr Malik was appointed civilian governor of East Pakistan and a 10-member Cabinet was later installed. This gained no support from East Pakistanis. At the beginning of November, 53 National Assembly seats taken from Awami League members were announced to be filled without contest. By-elections for the remaining National and Provincial seats were held early in November.

On 12th October the President, in a broadcast to the nation, announced his plans for the transfer of power. A Constitution would be published by 20th December 1971 and the National Assembly would be summoned to meet on 27th December.

By September Indian Border Security Forces were aiding the Mukti Bahini against the Pakistan Army, which was deployed mainly near the border. This led to the gradual involvement of the Indian Army. On 20th November there was an open clash between Indian and Pakistani forces at Boyra. President Yahya Khan declared a State of Emergency in Pakistan on 23rd November. On 24th November it was admitted that Indian troops were now allowed to cross the border in self-defence, with no specific limit on distance. Military encounters between Indian and Pakistani troops escalated and Indian help to the guerrillas was expanded. On 30th November Mrs Gandhi said that the Pakistan Army should leave Bangladesh and that their presence there was a threat to Indian security. On 3rd December the Pakistan Air Force bombed Indian airfields in the West and the war began, neither side however declaring war outright. On 6th December India recognized the State of Bangladesh and Pakistan broke off diplomatic relations with India. The Indians and the East Pakistanis were supported by the Soviet Union who vetoed demands in the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire, thus giving time to India to "liberate" Bangladesh.

The Indian Army overran East Pakistan on 16th December when the Pakistan high command in Dacca capitulated. On 17th December President Yahya Khan accepted the ceasefire.

Indian troops remained in Bangladesh for three months. On 22nd December the Awami League "Government-in-Exile" returned to Dacca and proceeded to issue various ordinances and orders to govern the country. Sheikh Mujib was released from prison by Mr Bhutto, who had taken over from President Yahya Khan. Mujib flew to Dacca via London, arriving on 10th January 1972. He assumed the Prime Ministership and reorganized the Cabinet. On 11th January it was announced that all Members of the National Assembly and Members of the Provincial Assembly elected in 1970-71 and not otherwise disqualified would remain the elected representatives of the people and would