Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman need to be remanded if the trial of Ziaur Rahman killing case has to be held.
“If anyone has to be put on a remand that should be the mother (Khaleda Zia) and the son (Tarique Rahman),” she said.
Hasina was responding to a questioner at a press conference on her recent China visit at her official residence Ganobhaban.
When a reporter drew her attention to the recent remarks of BNP chief Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, Hasina said these two persons should be placed on a remand before starting the trial of Ziaur Rahman killing case. “We have to look into their involvement in the case,” she said.
When the coffin of Zia’s dead body had been brought to Dhaka, the Prime Minister recalled, Khaleda Zia refused to see her husband’s body.
Hasina also said even Tarique Rahman did not want to see his father’s dead body, which was very unusual. “Did he want to see his father dead body? He didn’t. Why, what was the mystery,” she questioned.
The Prime Minister said when the BNP came to power in 1991 the date of that case had been re-fixed at least 150 times at the time.
Even the then government had decided not to move forward with that case anymore from its Home Ministry. “If anyone has any doubt, he can check it out,” she said.
Hasina said the BNP government that had come to power thrice, as per they claim, did not do anything for the trial of Ziaur Rahman killing case. There was the trial for the mutiny, but no trial for the killing case, she added.
During the BNP’s last tenure when Tarique Rahman was very much attentive to his business and ‘Hawa Bhaban’ he did not raise anything about the trial of his father’s killing, the PM said, adding,
“Why didn’t he push for the trial at that time?”
Recalling the BNP chief’s claim in 1990 from a meeting held at Gulistan, Hasina said Khaleda had termed Ershad her husband’s killer.
“That was the first time she called Ershad her husband’s killers after long nine years. If Ershad was the killer, why did you (Khaleda) avail yourself of houses, car and cash from him? Why you remained silent for so long? What was your link with that killing? That family (Zia family) has to answer.”
The Prime Minister also said in 1981 an Awami League MP Shudhangshu Shekhar Halder had raised a question in Parliament about transferring Tk 10 lakh from a bank account to Khaleda Zia. At that time Ershad said that it was the money that was given by the government, she added.
“Don’t you (Khaleda) have any shame…you’re taking money from your husband’s killer,” she said.
About the recent remark of Khaleda Zia over holding dialogue that she talked to an EU delegation, Hasina said she had offered her (Khaleda) to sitn in a dialogue by making her phone call. “Now with whom I will hold the dialogue,” she questioned.
She said Khaleda Zia killed hundreds of people in the name of foiling the (January 5) election. “Now she has to bring those lives back, can she do that?” Hasina asked.
The Prime Minister also said that the BNP chief will go for dialogue, at a time when her son is calling for putting me on a remand. “Let them decide first what they will do,” she said.
Talking about the meetings with foreigners and the EU, the Prime Minister said she (Khaleda is not the leader of the opposition any more. “She has no official status right now.”
Responding to another query over Tarique’s travel to Malaysia though he was on bail to do his treatment and giving political statement, Hasina said the government will take appropriate action when time will come.
Source: UNBConnect