BNP standing committee member Brigadier (rtd)) ASM Hannan Shah has claimed that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had wanted to be Pakistan’s Prime Minister instead of liberating the country.
“Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had wanted to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan. That’s why he had uttered ‘joi Pakistan’ at the end of his March-7 speech,” he said.
Addressing a discussion organised by Free Thinkers’ Forum at the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday, the BNP leader alleged that the ruling party leaders are hurling abuses at Deputy Chief of the Liberation Forces AK Khandker as he had revealed the truth in his book.
In the book, ‘1971: Bhetore Baire’ published recently, AK Khandker claimed that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman concluded his historic March 7 speech in 1971 saying ‘joi Bangla joy Pakistan, drawing severe criticisms from the ruling party.
Describing AK Khandker as a very brave and gentle man, Hannan Shah thanked him for presenting the true history in his book. “Awami League is afraid of truth. They now can’t tolerate AK Khandker as he boldly unveiled the facts,” he said.
Hannan Shah, an army-officer-turned politician, accused the government of trying to reestablish one-party Baksal rule. “The Prime Minister has clearly said she would complete her father’s unfinished work. We know Bangabandhu had failed to establish Baksal. So, Awami League is working now to establishing Baksal.”
Khondker puts flame on AL body
Earlier, BNP spokesman Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said the revelation of facts in AK Khandker’s book has triggered fire to Awami League’s body.
Addressing a programme at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, .Fakhrul, the BNP acting secretary general, said that the book ‘1971: Bhetore Baire’ a document against the ruling party’s long-drawn ‘false campaign’
“What Deputy Chief of the Liberation Forces AK Khandker has written in his book is true. People believe this. Now AL’s body has started burning as he (Khandker) unveiled the facts,” he said.
Outraged by AK Khandker’s remarks, MPs in parliament on Thursday demanded that a case be filed against him on sedition charge for ‘distorting history and undermining Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’ in his just-published book.
Apparently reacting to the MPs’ scathing attacks on Khandker, Fakhrul said through the book, ‘1971: Bhetore Baire’, it has been proved Awami League’s long-time claim that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proclaimed independence through the address was ‘false’.
“Some MPs yesterday (Thursday) demanded trial on charge of treason of the person who was a valiant freedom fighter, fought in the field and made scarifies for the country’s independence. And above all, he was their MP and a minister just a few days back,” the BNP leader lamented.
Slamming the MPs for making offensive comments against Khandker, Fakhrul urged them to accept the truth what the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Armed Forces during the War of Liberation has unveiled. “Truth always comes out with its real face. AK Khandker only revealed the truth.”
He alleged that Awami League is unwilling to accept the historical facts about the country’s independence as its leaders had fled to India instead of being there in the battlefield.
“We those who were at the venue of the March 7 rally had heard Sheikh Mujibur Rahman concluding his speech saying ‘joi Bangla’, ‘joi Pakistan’. It was right at that time’s perspective. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is neither undermined nor blamed if anyone tells the truth,” the BNP spokesman claimed.
He also said Khandker rightly mentioned that there would not have been too many casualties on the night of March 25 and the day after in 1971 had Awami had the preparation for the Liberation War.
Inu unhappy
Meanwhile, apparently reacting to former Planning Minister AK Khandker’s recent book, ‘1971: Bhetore Baire’, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Wednesday said it was not the right work for a commander to distort history.
“I’m as a freedom fighter equal to a little ant riding on the War of Liberation. Like that the commanders, including AK Khandakar, are equal to small and large ants. I would like to say Bangabandhu and War of Liberation are similar to giant elephant,” he said.
Addressing a function marking the inauguration of Bangladesh Film and Television Institute (BFTI) and its first course held at the National institute of Mass Communication in the city, Inu said a commander could write his or her autobiography, but it is not right the work for the commander or the freedom fighter equal to an ant like him to distort history as the duty should be bestowed upon historians.
Case filed against Khandker
And duly a case has been filed against former planning minister AK Khandker in Brahmanbaria senior judicial magistrate’s court on charge of distorting history of the Liberation War.
Former joint secretary MA Ishaq Bhuiyan, a resident of the village of Talshahar at Ashuganj upazila, filed the case at on Wednesday.
Ishaq Bhuiyan claimied to be a commander of Brahmanbaria Mujib Bahini during Liberation War.
Referring to the publication of the book in installments by Bangla daily Bangladesh Protidin, the complainant said the claim of looting by Mujib Bahini is defamatory for the freedom fighters.
The court ordered the plaintiff to submit his freedom fighter certificate by 15 September.
Further order of the case will be announced after Ishaq submits his certificate.
Source: Weekly Holiday
