Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday said that there is a question in public minds whether there was any correlation between Sheikh Hasina’s homecoming on May 17, 1981 after six years in exile and the assassination of then president Ziaur Rahman 13 days later on May 30.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said this while responding to questions from journalist at a press conference at the party’s Naya paltan central office in Dhaka.
Asked whether there was any connection between Hasina’s homecoming and Zia’s killing, the BNP leader said, “The people have questions whether there is any connection between the two incidents.”
He said that if voted to power in the next parliamentary election, the BNP would launch a fresh investigation into Ziaur Rahman killing case.
Asked why the BNP did not initiate investigation into the killing during its two previous terms, he said: “Investigation was also launched on the previous terms. But we’ll launch a comprehensive investigation in future.”
On May 17, 1981, incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home after six years in exile following the brutal assassination of the architect of independent Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
Thirteen days into Hasina’s homecoming, President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated by some army officers at the Chittagong Circuit House on May 30.
Hitting back at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her remark that Ziaur Rahman was involved in the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Fakhrul said that Hasina brought the false allegation in a bid to divert people’s attention to a different direction from her government’s ‘failure and misrule’.
“The Prime Minister has come up with the baseless issue at a time when her government is mired with failure to ensure the rule of law and control the law and order, when people’s lives have turned miserable due to unabated killings, abductions and forced disappearance. It’s the PM’s ill-effort to divert people’s attention to a different direction,” he said. The BNP spokesman further said, “We’re not surprised at all at her irresponsible and false comment as it’s her natural way of talking. People are also familiar with her falsehood and attitude. We condemn and strongly protest her unfounded comment involving Ziaur Rahman.”
The party arranged the press conference at its Nayapaltan central office to give reaction to the Prime Minister’s remarks about its founder Ziaur Rahman.
Earlier on Monday night, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Ziaur Rahman had been able to escape as he died, or else they would have made him accused in Bangabandhu murder case.
In her introductory speech at a joint meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee, Advisory Council and AL Parliamentary party at her official residence Ganobhaban, the prime minister also said Khandaker Moshtaque Ahmed killed Bangabandhu and made Ziaur Rahman the army chief.
“Ziaur Rahman was the army chief, who had chosen him? Moshtaque was the killer of Bangabandhu, and Zia was the choice of the killer. What does it mean? There was Zia’s involvement in Bangabandhu killing.”
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comment Fakhrul said, “The historical truth was that Awami League Leaders were involved in Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s killing and they joined Moshtaque’s cabinet. Khandaker Moshtaque was also a very close aide of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
Referring to the prime minister’s remarks that Moshtaque Ahmed had killed Bangabandhu and made Ziaur Rahman the army chief for his involvement in the murder, the BNP leader said, “AK Khandaker was the Air Force chief when Sheikh Mujib had been killed. Sheikh Hasina made AK Khandaker minister later. So can we say she was involved in Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s murder? This is an illogical debate.”
He alleged that the government is carrying out false propaganda against Ziaur Rahman and his family in a planned way to destroy BNP’s politics.
“We want to tell the government: Don’t throw stones living in a glass house. There’s no use of distorting history. Ziaur Rahman will remain for ever in the hearts of people for his good works and contributions to the country.”
The BNP acting secretary general also urged the government to refrain from making false remarks and spreading false campaign.
“We don’t believe in politics of vengeance. We think the political problems should be resolved through discussions.”
Replying to a question, Fakhrul said they will launch a fresh and all through investigation into the killing of Ziaur Rahman if BNP returns to power.
He regretted that military ruler HM Ershad, the highest beneficiary of Zia, killing, has been made a special envoy to the current Prime Minister.
Responding to another question, the BNP leader said they deliberately refrained from announcing any shadow budget this time as the current regime has no right to place the national budget in Parliament.
BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s advisor Shamsuzzaman Dudu were also present at the press conference.
Source: Prothom Alo
