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Background: Thousands of young Eastern Pakistanis are signing up with the "Bangla Desh Liberation Army"--whose immediate aims are to force the West Pakistani army out of the East, and to open the supply line for the freedom fighters. VISNEWS cameraman Durgadas Chatterji spent some time with a unit at Mujib Nagar near Meherpur and sent back this film which shows several hundred young men enroling. The men will be trained in armed and unarmed combat, and then sent to join guerrilla units.

SYNOPSIS: The Liberation Army in East Pakistan continues to grow. Here in Mujib Nagar near Meherpur, several hundred young men are joining up with one of the units. The grass root support is strong. These men have come from nearby villages to train in guerrilla warfare. The Liberation Army is reported to be receiving arms from India...but one group of Indians reported to be bringing arms are said by West Pakistan to have been surrounded by West Pakistan troops and killed. Arms, munitions, various equipment and a diesel truck were captured. But there's a steady supply of men.

Once in the guerrilla training centre they are taken care of completely. The first thing for the new recruits was a good meal. Then arms training begins.

The collection of arms varies. Rifles of different calibre are used, and the supply of ammunition is erratic. But units such as this one are spread throughout East Pakistan. They're being trained in armed and unarmed combat--all aspects of guerrilla warfare. When they're ready, the volunteers will join units of the "Liberation Army of Bangla Desh" and will be given two main objectives--to open the supply line for the freedom fighters...and to force the West Pakistan army out of the East.