Tajuddin's Manila visit

Visit to Manila via Bangkok connected with Dhaka by Thai Airways with its twice weekly service was not a big deal. But it became a matter of serious concern when a day before our departure it was announced that Thai Airways had cancelled its Delhi-Dhaka-Bangkok flight. Biman had not yet started flying to Bangkok and the only way we could reach Manila in time for the Annual Meeting was to go westward to Delhi first and then take a PANAM flight to Bangkok after a overnight stay in Delhi.

At the Delhi Airport, we were cordially received by Mr. D.P. Dhar, a close associate of Mrs. Indira Gandhi and by our High Commissioner Dr. A.R. Mallick. We were put up in Ashoka Hotel as the guest of the government. Besides Tajuddin and myself, Mr. Abu Syed, PS to FM, was also a member of the delegation. The PANAM flight 002 was scheduled to depart Delhi early morning the next day and we were asked to have a good night's sleep and be prepared to proceed to the Airport at around 5am.

We had a free evening and Tajuddin, a very reserved personality otherwise, opened up and started reminiscing about the uncertain days of Liberation War when India had not committed herself to help the Mujibnagar Government. Tajuddin flew to Delhi from Calcutta all alone to meet the Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It was a one to one meeting and Tajuddin had a tough time convincing Mrs. Gandhi that Bangladesh people genuinely wanted separation from West Pakistan and that India should actively help the Mujibnagar Government to fight the Liberation War. At one stage of the meeting, D.P. Dhar and other advisors to Indian Prime Minister joined in and finally Tajuddin won his day. Indian Prime Minister gave her commitment.

Late at night we were informed by the Indian protocol that the PANAM flight had been delayed. We had breakfast in the hotel and proceeded to the airport where we were taken to the VIP lounge. Our luggage were earlier collected and checked in. In 1973 it was still the old Delhi Airport where there was no separate International Terminal and the VIP Lounge was a small room behind the Airport Building. The protocol in charge was Mr. Sachdeva, a senior Foreign Service officer, who recently retired as the Indian Ambassador to Tokyo. Our High Commissioner Dr. A.R. Mallick was also there to see us off.

I found that Indian protocol was taking it easy and did not seem to be worried about the flight and every time I made enquiries about the flight I was told to relax. After about an hour or so we were asked to proceed to the tarmac in two grand old Ambassador cars. As we approached the apron, I noticed that all the four engines of PANAM 747 were running and that the gangway was being removed from the aircraft. No sooner I pointed this out to Sachdeva than the PANAM 747 was already on the move. The moment Sachdeva saw PANAM moving away from us, he got panicky, jumped out of the car, ran to the PANAM Duty Officer on the apron and ordered him to stop the plane immediately. The staff on duty coolly replied that the ground staff had several times paged for the three passengers but since they did not appear, the PANAM flight could not be delayed any further.

Tajuddin was impassive when all this drama was going on, but of the three I was the least worried person. First, we were still the guest of the Government of India and it was now their responsibility to take us to Manila in time for the Annual Meeting and secondly, I had taken the simple precaution of carrying a hand bag with necessary extra clothing. But Tajuddin was in his Hawaiian Shirt and had no fall back position.

Sachdeva finally could impress on the PANAM Duty Officer that the plane had to be stopped since a VVIP had been left behind by mistake. The Captain of the plane signaled us through the Control Tower to follow the plane which by that time had gathered speed and was proceeding to the take off point. We huddled ourselves in the two Ambassador cars and were closely following the 747 just like in some Hindi action movie. The plane stopped at the take off point at the tip of the runway and we also reached there to find to our horror that somebody forgot to bring the gangway for us to board the plane. What they brought instead was a forklift used for lifting heavy cargo.

We had no other option but to place ourselves one by one on the forklift and the operator through a manual process gradually started lifting us up toward the first class cabin door of 747 at least 40 feet above the ground. It was a very slow climb and at about 30 feet we found ourselves right in front of the running Pratt and Whitney gigantic engine of the 747 ready to suck us in. I looked down and could hardly recognise the tiny figures of our High Commissioner and others. As we climbed up to the Cabin door and knocked, the Chief Stewardess, a lady, pushed open the door and almost threw us out of the platform. We signaled below to move the forklift few yards from the plane to allow the door to be fully opened. One by one, we were pulled in -- Tajuddin first, followed by me and the PS -- strictly in order of precedence. Tajuddin was nonchalant, promptly occupied the front seat of the first class cabin and the PANAM 002 took off.

Tajuddin's official programme in Manila included calling on the President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who wished Bangladesh prosperity and progress and the Foreign Minister Romeulo who dwelt at length about the improvement in the law and order situation in Manila after the imposition of Martial Law by President Marcos. Warlords with guns slinging from their shoulders loitering in his office was a common sight prior to Martial Law. In all these visits and during our stay in Manila, Mr. Khurrom Khan Panni, our Ambassador accredited to the Philippines was our constant companion.

Tajuddin was in his best when he spoke in the 6th Annual Meeting of the ADB and some of the things he said were prophetic. On regional co-operation, Tajuddin said, "We believe that co-operation among the countries in the Asian region will contribute towards quickening the pace of economic development in this region. The countries in this region display a great diversity in levels and rate of growth of income, in potential for development as well as in resource endowments. At the same time, they reveal similarities in socio-economic institutions, culture and modes of life. There is a great deal that countries in this region can learn and benefit from each other's experience."

On the development strategy of Bangladesh, Tajuddin said, "The main thirst of our development effort will be directed towards the Agricultural sector with a view not only to attaining self sufficiency in food production but also to widening employment opportunities and expanding export earnings. The main strategy in this field is to rely on extensions of irrigation facilities and to augment the use of fertilizer, pesticides and high yielding seeds considerably, buttressing this by continuous research in the development of new inputs and their productive use. Long standing deficiencies in the supply of power, transport and communications need to be remedied through selective investment, especially in water transport and rural electrification. The development of water resources, including flood control, is a matter of great urgency for us and in this area we are engaged in exploring the possibilities of co-operative ventures with India. With a large and growing labour force, expansion of employment opportunities is a major objective. We attach high priority to harnessing our manpower resources for the implementation of our plan."

At that point of time we had no representation in the Executive Board of ADB. India by virtue of its shareholding in ADB could nominate both the Executive Director and the Alternate and it was through skilful negotiation by the Ministry of Finance in 1972 that GOB secured GOI's agreement to nominate the Alternate Director in ADB from 1974 and the Alternate in the World Bank from 1972 on a permanent basis. That this arrangement for ADB broke down after more than 30 years is unfortunate. One can only hope that GOB should be able to maintain its right to nominate the Alternate in the World Bank.

Pakistan was represented in the Annual Meeting by its Secretary, Economic Affairs Division, Mr. S.S. Iqbal Hossain. Who has always been a vocal exponent of legitimate cause of East Pakistan. Mr. Iqbal Hossain was so touched by the amiable disposition and courteous gesture of Tajuddin towards him that he deviated from the prepared text and welcomed Bangladesh as the new member of ADB. Although back home in Pakistan, Bangladesh was still 'East Pakistan under Indian Occupation', Iqbal Hossain accorded de-facto recognition to Bangladesh long before de jure recognition came a year later in 1974.

Md Matiul Islam is a former Finance Secretary.