No love lost between ‘em

Khaleda Zia told Sheikh Hasina that it was the Awami League that carried out the August 21 grenade attack on its party chief, a minister said yesterday quoting the premier as telling her cabinet colleagues about the Saturday’s phone conversation.
On the other hand, BNP leaders yesterday quoted Khaleda as saying to Hasina, “We are not engaged in politics of murder. I don’t like killings. Rather you and your men are involved in killings.”
The transcript of the conversation is yet to be available to the press. But leaders of the two parties yesterday shared more bits and pieces of the conversation, most of which reveal the level of the two leaders’ mutual dislike to each other.
Speaking on the issue, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said the transcript of the conversation should be made public to let people know what they actually said.
The prime minister yesterday shared some contents of the conversation with her cabinet colleagues at a weekly meeting.
“When I told her [Khaleda] about the August 21 grenade attack, which was aimed at killing me, she said you yourself had carried out the attack,” said a minister, quoting Hasina.
Khaleda also told Hasina, “You had even killed many people in 1971,” according to the minister, who was present at the meeting.
The Daily Star contacted BNP leaders to get their version. A senior BNP leader said when Hasina raised the issue of the August 21 attack, Khaleda said, “I wish you live long. I also want you to remain in politics for long. If you are active in politics, it helps us. People can differentiate between good and bad by seeing our attitude and behaviour.”
“Can you [Hasina] remember? … If not, you can go through records that you actually planned to hold the rally at Muktangan. But without informing anyone, you shifted the rally venue to in front of your office. Why did you do this? It was inappropriate,” said the BNP leader, quoting Khaleda.
At one stage, Hasina asked Khaleda why she should celebrate her birthday on the National Mourning Day, when August 15 is not her real birthday.
In reply, the BNP chief said, “How do you know my real birth date? I know my actual birth date. August 15 is a mourning day. But many people were born on that day. Won’t they celebrate their birthday? I will celebrate my birthday.”
AL Organising Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, who was present at the Gono Bhaban during the Saturday’s conversation, said the premier told Khaleda that certainly many people were born on August 15. “But what date of birth did you mention when you took oath as the prime minister in 1991,” Hasina asked Khaleda.
“You [Khaleda] visited our Dhanmondi-32 house and saw my younger brother Russell many times. Do you remember the face of little Russell when you cut cake and celebrate your birthday?” said Khalid, quoting Hasina.
A BNP leader quoted Khaleda as telling Hasina, “Have you [Hasina] phoned me for inviting me to dialogue or talking about the past that will deepen bitterness? Let us look ahead and take the country forward together. If you raise issues from the past, it will create bitterness … I also have many allegations against you. But I am not going to raise those as it will harm the atmosphere.”
On Hasina’s claim that the opposition leader has been trying to save 1971 war criminals, Khaleda said, “What you are doing in the name of war crimes trial is nothing but an attempt to gain political advantage. Your real objective is not to hold trial of war criminals. We want real trial of all war criminals irrespective of their political affiliation. War Criminals are also there in your party, but you are not trying them.”
Refuting Khaleda’s allegations, Hasina said there was no war criminal in her party and the trial was not being held on political consideration, said Khalid.
The BNP leader quoted Khaleda as saying, “Crimes against humanity had also taken place immediately after the Liberation War. Many people were killed at the hands of your party men at that time.”