Harshly criticising former Planning Minister AK Khandker for his book, ‘1971: Bhetare Baire’ (1971: Inside and Outside), Lawmakers across the board on Thursday demanded that a case be filed against him on sedition charge for ‘distorting history and undermining Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’ in the just-published book.
Standing on point of order, both the treasury bench and opposition lawmakers also demanded a ban on the book, published by ‘Prothoma Publishers’.
Lawmaker Abul Kalam Azad initiated the debate while senior lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Rafiqul Islam, Kazi Firoz Rashid and JCD lawmaker Mainuddin Khan Badal took part in it.
Coming down hard on AK Khandker, who was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Armed Forces during the War of Liberation in 1971, Sheikh Selim said Khandker wrote the book at somebody’s instigation after taking money from any intelligence agency.
“What he did is tantamount to sedition. He should be tried on sedition charge,” he told the House.
Demanding an immediate ban on the book, the senior ruling party lawmaker said, “I don’t know whether he did it taking money from ISI, but he did it taking money from any agency.”
He claimed that AK Khandker did not take part in the Liberation War deliberately; rather he joined it on the suggestion of Pakistanis.
Selim said Khandker proved his loyalty to Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed by not protesting the killing of Bangabandhu in 1975. He was also the beneficiary of HM Ershad government as he was the foreign minister at that time.
Tofail Ahmed harshly criticised AK Khandker for writing in his book that Bangabandhu uttered ‘Joi Bangla, Joi Pakistan’ at the end of his historical March 7 speech.
“I was there beside Bangabandhu on the podium (of the rally). The last words of Bangabandhu were Joi Bangla. Where from he (AK Khandker) heard Joi Pakistan?” Tofail questioned.
The commerce minister said AK Khandker has no sense of gratitude, saying: “Sheikh Hasina made him minister, but how could he do it? By writing these, he has handed arms to others.”
Tofail also said AK Khandker did not join the Liberation War at its start but in late April.
He protested Khandker’s remark made in his book that Bangabandhu had no preparation for the war and that he had received good behaviour from Pakistani people during his 18-year stay in Pakistan from 1951 to 1969.
Another senior treasury bench lawmaker, Amir Hossain Amu, said those who want to malign Bangabandhu, also want to malign the national entity.
Pointing at AK Khandker, Badal said, “Don’t violate the Constitution. The person who crosses the limit, the people of Bangladesh would never forgive him.”
Jatiya Party lawmaker Kazi Firoz Rashid demanded that the Speaker allocate a full day for debate on the issue.
Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah who was presiding over the sitting said Khandker partially distorted history. “He (Khandker) knows it better why he did it.”
Source: Prothom Alo