DACCA: Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said today [Nov 19] that Bangladesh might forgive Pakistan if it admitted its misdeeds and apologised. Despite atrocities committed in Bangladesh there might be forgiveness `if they sincerely let the world know about their misdeeds and apologise to us`, he said in an obvious reference to the Pakistanis. But if they adopted a different attitude and believed that whatever they did was right, peace in the Subcontinent could not be achieved, Sheikh Mujib said.

He was speaking at a reception arranged by the ruling Awami League. Sheikh Mujib called on the world Powers to halt the arms race, saying that the energy and money should be diverted to peaceful purposes. `Billions of dollars being injected in the arms race could be utilised in feeding the hungry millions,` he said. Referring to China`s veto on Bangladesh`s application to join the United Nations, Sheikh Mujib ... said he was disappointed. News agencies [Meanwhile, as reported by the newspaper`s staff correspondent in Tarbela,] President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto told a massive workers` meeting here today [Nov 19] that people will have to f ace multiplied dif ficulties if they delayed a decision on recognition of Bangladesh for long. The President reiterated that Bangladesh recognition was in the interest of Pakistan because she could not concentrate on her pressing economic problems before solving this issue. Pleading that Pakistan had already lost many avenues of trade and commerce such as India, East Pakistan and other countries, he said it could no longer live in isolation and make progress.