Hasina defends Osmans

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has defended the Osman family saying that her family had a good relationship with Osman family and they would take care of them (Osman family members) whenever necessary.

Shamim Osman’s family was a “victim of propaganda,” said Sheikh Hasina in parliament on Tuesday, recalling the Osman family’s contribution to the Awami League and the country.

While taking part in the condolence reference for Nasim Osman, the late member of parliament of Jatiya Party from Narayangaj 5 constituency and elder brother of Shamim, the premier said all the governments during the Pakistan era and after the 1975 coup carried out attacks on the family.

The Awami League president said she would stand by the Osman family, if necessary.

The prime minister made the comment before the scheduled Narayanganj 5 by-poll on June 26, in which Selim Osman, brother of Nasim and Shamim, is taking part amid the anti-Osman-family mood, as suggested by media reports.

“This family has faced repeated attacks since the Liberation War. Every government that came to power after Bangabandhu’s assassination spearheaded torture and attack on this family,” Hasina told the House before adjourning in honour of Nasim Osman, who died in India on April 30.

The prime minister said the Awami League was born in the house of Osman family, adding that Shamim Osman’s father Shamsuzzoha led a life “with principle.”

“I will take care of this family, if necessary,” Hasina said before wrapping up of the discussion on Nasim Osman’s life, who fled to India leaving his newly-wed wife after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.

Hinting at the media for their reports on the family, the Awami League chief said: “Propagandas are spread targeting some people. In some cases, a trifle matter is blown up (in media). However, in many other cases, not a single word is written on other people committing serious offences.”

She said the members of Osman family were the few Bangladeshis who went to see Sheikh Hasina while she was in political asylum in India.

Giving an indication on the ongoing country-wide debate over the abduction and killing of seven people in Narayanganj, the premier said: “Punishment must follow if anyone commits crime. The law will take its own course, but the nation must remain alert about the plots to destroy a family through political conspiracy.”

Claiming there were “conspiracies” against her government, the prime minister said the conspiracy that started at the time of Bangabandhu’s murder was still on.

Shamim Osman gave a long speech on his brother, his family’s contribution to the Awami League and the country, and the tortures on them during different regimes since 1975.

“My brother was a very pious man; he never missed a single prayer in a day. He prayed the entire night. Everybody hires hujurs (religious leaders) to offer Dua Yunus, but he himself recited it,” he said, choking with emotion.

Shamim said he had often raised concerns about Sheikh Hasina ahead of the January 5 polls to Nasim Osman, who said: “Do not worry, nothing will happen to Sheikh Hasina. She has reached the level of Aulia (saint).”

He also said his family was a victim of a group with the help of a section of Awami League and said: “During the past one and a half years, we have been subjected to mental torture.”

He pointed finger at a Bangla newspaper for slandering his family and said he had no knowledge about any political development between April 29 and May 6 due to his brother’s death on April 30.

But some people implicated him and his dead brother in negative publicity. “The family members cannot tolerate this mental torture,” he said.

“I may be killed tomorrow,” Shamim said. “I have survived the bomb attack. I do not know whether I will have a natural or unnatural death. Bullets are flying around, I do not know whose bullets will kill me. If I am killed, I beg pardon in advance; please forgive me.”

Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Telecom Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, State Minister for Local Government Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Jatiya Party’s ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Kazi Feroz Rashid also spoke about Nasim Osman’s life.

Following the parliamentary convention, the House was adjourned after the adoption of the condolence motion on Nasim Osman and other renowned citizens of the country.

Earlier, the House started its inaugural sitting with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair around 5:05pm. At 4pm, the Business Advisory Committee had its meeting and decided to run the session until July 3.

According to the meeting, the proposed budget for the 2014-15 fiscal will be passed on July 29.

The House will resume at 5pm today.