Citing the spate of deadly violence during the BNP protests, she asked the critics if they saw the grief of those who had lost their loved ones since 1975, including the Aug 15 massacre of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family and the Nov 3 killings of four national leaders inside Dhaka jail that year.
“Many are shedding fake tears for Khaleda Zia who is in jail after conviction,” the prime minister told a Jail Killing Day event organised by the ruling Awami League at the Krishibid Institution in the capital on Sunday.
“Many were burnt alive, hundreds of thousands of our leaders and activists were tortured after 2001 and some of them were crippled. Some are living with grenade splinters in their bodies. Many have died while many others lived on helplessly.
“If you take these incidents since 1975 as examples, don’t you see us who live on with the grief of losing their loved ones? Don’t you think their pain is real?” she asked.On Nov 3, 1975, four leaders of the wartime national government—acting president Syed Nazrul Islam, prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad and cabinet ministers M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamaruzzaman—were killed inside Dhaka Central Jail.
Months earlier, on Aug 15 that year, Bangabandhu and most members of his family were killed at his home. Bangabandhu’s daughters Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived as they were abroad.
Hasina said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, who became the first military ruler of the country after the assassination of Bangabandhu, had appointed as prime minister Shah Azizur Rahman, who had been sent to the UN to object to Bangladesh’s independence.
“Razakars like Abdul Alim and many of those who carried out genocide became their ministers. It’s the most unfortunate chapter in Bangladesh’s history,” she said.
The prime minister said Khaleda had not allowed former army chief and injured freedom fighter M Mustafizur Rahman to receive treatment at the Combined Military Hospital and insulted him when the BNP chief had been in power.
“They did not only encourage the killers, but also insulted an injured freedom fighter, for whose sacrifice we achieved independence. I wonder who would cry for them,” she said.
Hasina also criticised the BNP for making Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman party chief in exile despite his conviction in many cases.“I doubt whether those in the BNP have any backbone, self-esteem,” she said.
MASTERMINDS OF KILLINGS WILL BE TRIED
The prime minister said the war criminals and killers of Bangabandhu and the four national leaders have been tried, but the Awami League government has noy been able to try those behind the killings.
“Our efforts will continue. But the day will come when these conspirators will be caught as history cannot be wiped off. Someone will surely do it.
“Many had thought the name of Bangabandhu would not return after it was erased from history. But that did not happen,” she said.
Hasina also said the government was looking for the killers who had fled abroad, and trying to bring them back.
Source: Bdnews24.