‘Zia was involved in the killing of Bangabnadhu’- Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina/photo: collected
Mentioning the names of the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman including Colonel Farooq, Colonel Rashid, Major Huda and Major Dalim, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said all those who carried out the killings were military officers. Who are these military officers, who helped them, who was behind them? Zia was a major. The Father of the Nation promoted him to Major General. He was fully involved with it. That is evident in the interviews of Colonel Farooq and Colonel Rashid on the BBC after the assassination of Bangabandhu where they made it clear that Ziaur Rahman was involved with them. It was with his help that they were able to make this happen. And that is further proved after the assassination of Bangabandhu, after the assassination of the President, the constitution was not obeyed there. Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam was there but that was not done instead Khandoker Mushtaq was declared the President. After Khandoker Mushtaq became the president he made General Zia as the chief of the army.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a virtual discussion meeting organized by Bangladesh Awami League on the occasion of the 45th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu on Sunday (August 16).
The Prime Minister said that if General Zia was not involved in the conspiracy, then why would Mushtaq choose him as the army chief? Then Ziaur Rahman gave all kinds of help to the killers. And this is not the end of them. Mushtaq traitors could never be in power. Mir Zafar could not. Those who used Mir Zafar to kill Sirajuddawla. Mir Zafar could not stay in power for more than two months. Mushtaq couldn't either. By removing Mushtaq, Ziaur Rahman took the state power and became president.
‘These killers who didn’t just commit the August 15 massacre but they also killed four national leaders on November 3 in Dhaka Central Jail. Later on Zia had sent them abroad after arranging their political asylum. Ziaur Rahman rewarded the killers with jobs in different embassies. The killers were not tried. There will be no trial for the August 15 murder. That indemnity ordinance was enacted. The path to justice was blocked. Those of us who have lost loved ones have no right to sue, no right to justice. '
"After '75, Rehana and I were abroad," she said. Many who lost loved ones in the brutal bullets of the assassins could not stay in the country. After the murder that day, Parash-Tapas were searched. The survivors have been traced. Everyone took refuge on Indian soil. We had to stay as refugees. We couldn't even use our own names. On the one hand, I have lost all my relatives. It's all over in a day. Then we had to stay as refugees. We have seen that when we were refugees, they were on foreign soil, and when the assassins became ambassadors in different embassies or get different government jobs in embassies, they live in comfort. But the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has made this country independent.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, I went to London in 1980. Rehana had gone to London earlier. On August 16, 1980, we held a meeting in London to protest the assassination. An international commission of inquiry was then set up by Sir Thomas William QC MP and novelist Lorette Shawn McBright. The commission of inquiry was announced on the same day. That Commission of Inquiry was sent to investigate the assassination of Father of the Nation and President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Many British MPs then cooperated with us. When the commission members asked for visa but Ziaur Rahman did not give a visa to Thomas William.
‘Why didn’t Ziaur Rahman issue a visa? Why did he not allow investigating. This question remains. He was afraid because he was involved in the murder. He did not allow the investigation. They have nurtured the killers. '
"When the Awami League elected me president in 1981," she said I came back to Bangladesh. Zia still did not allow me to enter the house of Road no. 32. We sat in front of road no 32 and performed prayer. The name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was banned in Bangladesh. Mourning day cannot be observed, it cannot be talked about. History was completely distorted. Ziaur Rahman made the anti- liberation forces, razakars, al-Badars ministers, gave them a chance to do politics, gave them the right to vote, all these people did not have the right to vote. There was no right to vote. Articles 12 and 38 of the constitution had been repealed and were given the right to organize and participate in the election. Attempts were made to take Bangladesh in a different direction by dusting off our independence stained with the blood of millions of martyrs. The history of Bangladesh was completely distorted. If there was a father name of the nation somewhere, it would have been deleted.
She further said, what did Khaleda Zia do when she came to power in 1996? There was a voter less election in Bangladesh. No party participated. That was a farce in the name of elections. Attempts were made to elect him by deploying the army all over Bangladesh. Voters did not come to vote. Then Khaleda Zia declared herself elected. And in that election Colonel Rashid was elected. Major Huda was elected. They were allowed in parliament. The murderous Colonel Rashid was placed in the seat of the Opposition. Why was there so much compassion for Khaleda Zia for the killers?
"Everyone is talking about extra-judicial killings today – all forgot that many people have been brutally killed in the name of Operation Clean Heart when Khaleda Zia was in power. In the name of Operation Clean Heart, people had been caught everywhere, starting from Awami League leaders and activists to Juba League activists who were killed wherever they were found. And that murder will not be tried. Khaleda Zia had gone through the indemnity that the murder will not be tried. Her husband has gone through the indemnity of the assassins of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The meeting conducted by Awami League publicity secretary Dr. Abdul Sobhan Golap, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader gave a welcome address at the discussion meeting. Besides, Awami League presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Dhaka South Awami League president Abu Ahmed Monnafi and Dhaka North Awami League president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman also spoke.
