BANGLA DESH

The United States Postal Service does not recognize the Bangla Dash “stamps” as valid proof of postage payment.

Following a report here on Aug. 8, in which the socalled Bangla Desh “stamps” were reported as emanating from the aspirations of the Bengalis of East Pakistan, inquiry was made of the Postal Service as to its response to mail bearing these labels.

James W. Hargrove, Acting Postmaster General, has written: “The Universal Postal Convention (Tokyo 1969) contemplates that postage stamps for denoting payment of postage are issued only by Postal Administrations. A ‘Postal Administration’ is an arm of a government that is possessed of the attributes of sovereignty. “Inasmuch as the State Department has informally advised us that Bangla Desh has made no claim that it has the attribute's of sovereignty, and since the U.S. Postal Service is bound by the Convention and complies with its provisions, we would not be able to recognize the Bangla Desh ‘stamps’ as valid proof of postage payment.”

The British post office has adopted the same position. No government, as yet, has recognized the Bangla Desh adhesives as postage stamps.

It is not the intent of this columnist to belittle or demean the plight of the eight million Bengalis from East Pakistan who are now refugees in India. Far too many so‐called stamps have appeared from various areas of the world aimed at the purses of stamp collectors, rather than to provide postal service. [The emissions from a so‐called State of Oman, reported here July 18, 1971 are among these false issues]. Promoters of the Bangla Desh labels have not said their sale will benefit the refugees. (Those who wish to contribute to the Bengali refugees may send funds to the Emergency Relief Program—care of New York, N. Y. 10016.)

The Bangla Desh labels were designed and created in England, and so‐called firstday covers have been placed on sale.