From Peter Hazelhurst
Karachi, March 23

As Pakistan celebrated Republic Day today, the rebellious eastern wing hauled down the national flag and hoisted up the newly designed flag of Bengal state as a symbol of its costly won autonomy.

The flag, a golden map of East Pakistan on a velvet green circle, was seen in Dacca flying over hundreds of houses, schools, Government offices and the residence of Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the Bengali nationalist leader. Women social workers and members of other civil organizations later marched through a Dacca stadium to salute the new flag.

In many parts of Dacca the supporters of the rival left-wing National Awami Party celebrated "Independence day " in an apparent effort to wrest the initiative from the Bengali nationalists. But Shaikh Mujibur, who is at present engaged in talks with President Yahya Khan and other political leaders from West Pakistan in a final attempt to stave off secession, is apparently not prepared to take the final step.

He told hundreds of supporters outside his residence today that he would continue to search for a compromise formula with the President : "Leave everything to me". he said.

The Shaikh said his non-cooperation movement, began 22 days ago, had broken the back of "vested interests". He asked the people to continue with the agitation but he pleaded for nonviolence. "The best commander is one who wins a war without the loss of blood", he added.

The Shaikh's Awami League celebrated Republic Day by naming it "Resistance Day". But Maulana Abdul Bhashani, the leader of the left-wing National Awami Party, addressing the party's own "Independence Day" meeting appealed to the people of West Pakistan to accept "wholeheartedly" the independence and sovereignty of Bengal.

"The people of Bengal", he said, "will not accept anything that is imposed on them by force and if you do not heed my appeal the results would be disastrous."

In another public speech, Mr Mashiur Rahman, the general secretary of the National Awami Party, told the crowds that East Bengal was already independent and the people would preserve their independence at all cost. He went on to admit that his rivals had the full support of 75 million Bengalis. "The people have received orders from the Army and the Awami League and they chose to ignore the Army," he said.