Mr. President. the birth of Bangladesh is a saga of human courage and tragedy rarely witnessed in modern times. Millions of Bengalis perished in the violence of the Pakistan Armys repression last year. while millions more sought refuge in India. and countless thousands died of disease and malnutrition in the refugee camps. Today. because of this violence and dislocation. more millions face severe food shortages and famine. Never has there been so massive a shift in population. In as short a span of time. as the flow of nearly 10 million refugees into India last year. and their spontaneous return this year to a free and independent Bangladesh. It Is. and will likely remain. one of the great human migrations ofthe 20th century. But although millions of men. women. and children found it necessary last year to flee their homes and their lands. in order to escape the genocidal violence of the Pakistan Army. most have now returned to Bangladesh. with hope and determination. to build a better future out. of their destroyed lives and homes. because of the destruction and chaos caused by the civil warbecause millions of people have been dislocated and economically ruinedthe first year of Bangladesh will be more critical than for many new nations.
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refugee refugees