Bangabandhu’s trip to Kolkata slated for Feb 6, 1972, received widespread coverage in the media.
The papers in West Bengal wrote that there was excitement and anticipation over the visit of Bangabandhu.
The travel plan stated that Bangabandhu would be welcomed at Dumdum Airport by Indian premier Indira Gandhi. After a guard of honour at the airport, he would be taken to Rajbhaban on a helicopter which will land at Mohonbagan field. From here, Bangabandhu will go to Rajbhabanand and on the way, will lay wreaths at the statue of Deshbandhu Cbhittaranjan Das and Netajo Subhash Chandra Basu.
The programme further added that after bilateral talks, he will make a speech at the brigade parade ground which will be followed by a music programme featuring Hemanta Mukherjee and others.
The programme will also be aired by BTV. Bangabandhu’s entourage will include: foreign minister Abdus Samad Azad, political adviser Tofail Ahmed, foreign secretary MA Karim, information secretary Hossain Ali, finance secretary Matiul Islam, prime minister chief secretary Rafiq Ullah Chowdury, Bangabandhu’s son Sheikh Kamal and press secretary Mahbub Alam.
From reliable quarters it was found that the bilateral talks will include issues about prisoners of war and repatriation of Bangladeshis from Pakistan. A report of PBI on Feb 5 said that a special prime minister’s relief fund has been opened and people willing to help were asked to send cheques.
On Feb 5, secretary of National Awami Party (NAP) Altaf Hossain said, “Unless the rural economy is revived, the overall economy of the country will falter.”
He also warned the people to be wary of US led conspiracies and vehemently criticized China for the anti Bangladesh stance. He expressed profound gratitude to India, USSR and other communist countries for presenting the case of Bangladesh in front of the world.