Calcutta, April 2
The situation in East Bengal today seems somewhat more favourable for Shaikh Mujibur Rahman's force, than it did during the previous two days, judging from reports reaching Calcutta.

Not only are they said to have repulsed attacks by West Pakistan troops on some of their strongholds, but they claim also to have made some gains.

The Pakistan Air Force has continued bombing resistance pockets and Chittagong was again shelled by naval units. Ground fighting is reported from Dacca, Comilla, Khulna and Rajshahi.

Resistance forces are said to have established footholds in the towns of Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Kusthia, Nasirabad and Sylhet. They are also in control of Jessore town but Jessore cantonment and airport are still in the Army's hands.

A foreign correspondent last night described how West Pakistan troops gave up a highway junction on the road from Jessore to Dacca and withdrew to their cantonment, leaving Jessore town in the hands of resistance forces.

This correspondent reported that the West Pakistanis had left a number of destroyed houses and signs of atrocities, including some bayonetted women and children. He found the resistance forces in Jessore equipped with old Enfield rifles, a few Chinese semi-automatics, some mortars, one or two bazookas and one 6lb gun.

As before, there is likely to be much exaggeration in the claims of resistance successes made by Awami League spokesmen whom correspondents have been meeting in the border areas. Free Bengal radio has been silent for two days and Awami League volunteers in the border districts have been the main source of news of what is happening deeper inside East Bengal.

But the correspondents themselves are now able to move into East Bengal border districts with Awami League escorts, though at considerable personal risk. Several of them have seen the effects of the fighting.

There is no doubt that during the past two days West Pakistan troops have made a determined attempt to consolidate their positions in the main towns but latest reports indicate that their success is not yet total, which may explain the aerial attacks on several towns.

Their attempts to fan out from the bigger towns are still meeting considerable resistance. It the situation in the border districts is in any way representative, the Army has little control over the countryside,

Most of Kusthia district, which is on the West Bengal border, seems to be under the control of the resistance forces and the district headquarters of the resistance forces in the town of Chuadanga has been visited by several correspondents from this side of the border.

The resistance group in this district is commanded by a Bengal Army major who works closely with civilian volunteers. The group has a fairly efficient communications system by telephone and police wireless. There are also couriers travelling by motor cycles and bicycles.


Delhi, April 2. -West Pakistan Army commandos machine gunned about 100 students in the Sylhet district of East Pakistan last night killing 50 and wounding the others, the news agency Press Trust of India reported today from Shillong.

Bengali appeal for arms, page 4 Leading article, page 15