"An army major (Zia) had performed the duty of national leadership at the bad time of the nation by declaring the independence. But they (govt) are now spitting venom on him by controlling the media. They want all the media to pay attention to only one person,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a virtual discussion, he said, “The only reason behind it is the popularity of Ziaur Rahman and his party. They’re angry at Ziaur Rahman as he introduced multi-party democracy and Bangladeshi nationalism."
Nagorik Odhikar Andolon Forum arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club in memory of late educationist and former VC of Dhaka University Dr Emajuddin Ahmed.
About the August 15, 1975, Rizvi said their party has long been saying August 15 is the tragic and shocking incident for the nation.
After the assassination of Bangabandhu, he said, the then Army Chief and the chiefs of Police and Ansar extended their support to Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed’s government.
“The then army chief didn’t play any role on that day (15 august). Ziaur Rahman was the second-in-command of the army, but Awami League has made him a target and trying to implicate him in the August 15 incident in various ways. Those who joined Mushtaq’s cabinet belonged to Awami League, but you (PM) don’t say anything about them,” Rizvi said.
He also regretted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a person her adviser who had conducted the oath taking ceremony of the Khandaker Mushtaq’s cabinet.
The BNP leader said Awami League leaders like Abdur Razzak and Tofail Ahmed even could not bring out a procession protesting Bangabandhu’s assassination. “But you (PM) don’t say anything against them, rather made them ministers. You’re trying to stigmatise valiant freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman as he formed BNP which has huge popularity. But we would like to say false stigma will never last long.”