1.
GV Abdur Rahman interviews recruits
0.08

2.
SV Recruits answer questions
0.13

3.
SV Rahman at table
0.16

4.
SV Recruit fills in from
0.21

5.
GV Recruits
0.27

6.
CU PAN Recruits
0.40

7.
SV People watch through bars
0.48

8.
SV Recruit signs form
0.53



Initials BB/1618 MF/ML/BB/1632



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Despite its setbacks, the self-styled "Bangla Desh" Liberation Army--continues to find many young men to train as guerrillas. VISNEWS cameraman Prem Prakash was allowed to film a recruiting centre, with would-be recruits being interviewed by Mr. Abdur Rahman, a member of the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly. He said that there are 100 centres along the India-East Pakistan border, at which young volunteer guerrillas are taken on to fight the Pakistan Army inside East Pakistan. Permission to film was given to Prakash only on the understanding that we could not reveal the exact location of the centre--but it's on the Indian side of the border.

SYNOPSIS: In a small office building on the Indian side of the border with East Pakistan, young volunteers are recruited to join the self-styled "Bangla Desh" Liberation Army. In spite of the setbacks suffered by the so-called East Pakistan liberation fighters, Mr. Abdur Rahman takes on 25 to 30 volunteers each day, to be used inside East Pakistan against the Pakistan army. Mr. Rahman said there are a hundred of these recruiting centre along the India-East Pakistan border.

After rigorous questioning, only some volunteers are taken on. Those that are, are first sent to a youth camp where they are tested for their political stability. Those who succeed there are sent to a military training camp for the proclaimed task of liberating Bangla Desh.

A great deal of secrecy surrounds the recruiting operation. Our cameraman was only allowed to film if he didn't give the exact location of the office--and it doubles up as a welcoming office for new refugees.