With a total unexpectedness that literally caught the British Government napping, an unscheduled Pakistani Airlines plane touched down at Heathrow yesterday at 6.30 a.m. with Sheikh Mujib, President of the newly- created State of Bangladesh, on board. He was accompanied by Mr. Kamal Hussain, his constitutional adviser, who, like the Sheikh, had also been freed from prison by the Pakistan Government, and by Mrs. Hussain and their two children. Later in the day, he was received at 10 Downing Street by Mr. Heath.

The news of his arrival did not become known to the world until the BBC’s Radio 4 service announced it on their 8.30 one-minute news summary. In the meantime the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had been galvanised into activity. Mr. Ian Sutherland, Head of the Indian Department at the FCO, on behalf of the Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, rushed out in a car to greet Mujib and bring him into London. A Pakistani First Secretary from the High Commission in London also drove out to Heathrow. The Bangladesh Mission in London telephoned Claridges Hotel and booked a suite for the Sheikh, and by nine o’clock Mujib was installed in Room 112.

The mystery of his arrival in London instead of in Dacca, where he had been expected some time during the weekend, was not cleared up by Mujib at his Press conference, but The Sunday Times learned the astonishing truth later; Mujib himself had little say in the matter. President Bhutto of Pakistan apparently told Mujib that he could not be flown either to Dacca or to any Indian airport en route. He could, however, fly to Iran or Turkey, Mujib told Bhutto he had no wish to go to either country, and if he could not go where he wished he preferred to stay where he was. However, he added, if he really was free, he was prepared to go to London.

This compromise was finally accepted by Bhutto, who was evidently reluctant to be seen to be delivering Mujib directly to East Pakistan to assume leadership there. A second mystery surrounded Mujib’s flight here. Members of the Bangladesh mission in London yesterday told The Sunday Times that a second Pakistani plane left at the same time as Mujib’s aircraft, and it was believed it might contain people who were on a mission to assassinate him. Accordingly,
security was intensified after Mujib’s arrival in London. A police inspector, a sergeant and four constables were controlling the streets outside Claridges Hotel throughout the day. Nobody was admitted to Mujib’s Press conference
without first establishing his identity as a bona fide journalist or cameraman. Mujib himself was asked not to put his head out of any window, though an emotional group of Bangladesh supporters was gathered in the street below.

For the same reason, Mujib’s movements were not announced in advance; before his visit to No. 10 yesterday, officials there refused to say at what time the meeting with Mr. Heath would take place. Mujib is expected to fly to Dacca in the next day or so, but his time of departure will not be disclosed until he has actually left. In the four hours between his arrival at his hotel and the Press conference, Mujib was involved with affairs of state. He received a personal telephone call from Mrs. Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister, and spoke to her for 10 minutes. He spoke twice to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh in Dacca, Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, and once to the acting President Nazrul Islam. He had a long talk, too, with his wife and two sons and daughter, in Dacca; he explained to them that for reasons of security, he could not tell them what time he would be arriving in the capital.

At 10 o’clock, he was visited by Mr. Apa Pant, the Indian High Commissioner in London. The news of Mujib’s arrival had reached him too late for him to be able to send a representative to the airport. Mrs. Gandhi had earlier telephoned to Mr. Pant and read out a personal message of greeting to Mujib which Mr. Pant subsequently passed on to the Bangladesh leader. Mrs. Gandhi said: “I share the rejoice of the people of India and freedom-loving people in all countries of the world at your release. You have been confined but your spirit could not be imprisoned. You have become a symbol of the voice of the oppressed and inspired the entire people of Bangladesh to wage a successful battle of liberation. All these months, the Government and the people of India have made every effort to arouse the world’s conscience for your release and in the cause of Bangladesh. On this joyous occasion, the entire people of India greet you and the people of Bangladesh, and send their cordial good wishes.”

Mrs. Gandhi has invited Mujib to visit her in New Delhi on his way to Dacca, and it is possible he will do this.

His Press conference in the ballroom of the hotel was a brief and emotional occasion, with members of the Bangladesh Mission and other Bengalis shouting “Joi Bangla” and clapping. He was noticeably thinner than the familiar pre-imprisonment posters show him. His eyes were slightly bloodshot from fatigue, and he remained seated during his 30-minute appearance, occasionally puffing at his pipe, removing and replacing his spectacles. The most striking thing about his bearing and the style of his answers was the immense and seemingly unconscious air of authority, his stress on “my people,” and on the word “I” when he said “I shall decide when I know the facts ....” He showed signs of slight irascibility when repeatedly asked whether he had been maltreated and when his questioners seemed to have forgotten that he had spent nine months in a condemned cell solitary confinement, often in intense heat, totally cut off from newspapers, radio and from his family.

He opened his conference by speaking of his unbounded joy at his country’s freedom. No people had ever had to pay so high a price in human suffering as the people of Bangladesh. He spoke of his longing to join them. “I cannot remain away from them a single moment longer than I have to.” He spoke, too, of his gratitude to everyone, in particular the Mukti Bahini, who had helped towards the liberation of Bangladesh, and to the millions of martyrs who had lost their lives in the struggle to make Bangladesh an unchallengeable reality.” He spoke specifically of his appreciation of the backing from the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries, from Britain, from France, and from “the people of the United States of America.” He referred several times to his relationship with President Bhutto, for whom he evidently retains an extremely high regard. Bhutto, he said, had appealed to him and the people of Bangladesh to try to find some link between the two countries. “But I cannot say anything about that until I return to my people,” he added.

Bhutto’s arrival in power resulted in his once more receiving news of the outside world and of his family. Until then he knew nothing of the world, not even that China had joined the United Nations and was a member of the Security Council. He had guessed that there was a war last month because of the blackouts and Army movements, but did not know the outcome until Bhutto told him. “I was mentally ready to die,” he said. “The day I went o jail I did not know whether I was to live or die, but I knew that Bangladesh would be liberated.” He spoke with surprising forbearance of West Pakistan. “I have nothing against the people of West Pakistan in spite of the way they behaved.” Asked by a reporter whether he thought that Pakistani war criminals should be tried, he commented that West Pakistan had played a dirty game, and he said he thought there should be some sort of trial for mass murderers. “But now my people are liberated, I have nothing against the people of West Pakistan. I wish Mr. Bhutto success and good luck.”

He appealed to all states to recognise Bangladesh, and said that “I’m ready to cooperate with anyone.” He hoped that diplomatic missions would be established.

Murray Sayle cables from Dacca: All constructive activities, apart from the manufacture of garland and Bangladesh flags, have been suspended while Bengalis look forward to a week-long celebration which will mark the true beginning of independent Bangladesh.