The Talk between Mujib, Yahya and Bhutto in Dacca, Preparation for Massacre and Its Reflection in The New York Times (16-25 March 1971)

Abstract: Following the 1970 election, the implementation of provincial autonomy was the main area of disagreement between the then-Pakistani government, the non-Bengali-supporting Pakistan Peoples Party, and the Bengali-supporting Awami League. On March 1, 1971, President General Yahya Khan postponed the Assembly without giving a certain date for its reconvening, which sparked a non-cooperation movement in East Pakistan. Subsequently, on March 16, 1971, Yahya and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League, started their much-awaited discussion. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the Peoples Party, joined them on March 21. Beginning on March 16, The New York Times, an international daily newspaper, began to report on the progress of the talks. Hence, the newspaper made Bengalis’ public sentiments visible. This article aims to identify, analyse, and clarify the function of The New York Times from March 16–25, 1971. Keywords: Elections, The Talks, Constitutional Crisis, Provincial Autonomy, National Integration, Declaration of Independence