Referring to the recent clashes between BNP men and police at Chandrima Udyan, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday wondered why BNP activists engage in fights despite knowing it very well that Ziaur Rahman’s body is not there.

“BNP engaged in fights at Chandrima Udyan. Doesn't the BNP know that there's  no grave or body of Zia, or Zia is not there? They know it very well! If so, why do they stage the drama? Khaleda Zia is also aware of it,” she said while addressing a programme virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.   

Awami League (AL) Dhaka city north and south units jointly organised the memorial meeting at AL’s Bangabandhu Avenue central office on the occasion of National Mourning Day.

Read: BNP activists clash with police at Chandrima Udyan

Hasina said whether Khaleda Zia or Tarique Zia could claim that they saw Zia’s body in the box (which was brought from Chattogram) as a bullet-hit body can easily be recognised. “No one saw it as there was no body (of Zia) in the box,” she said.  

The AL President said she heard from HM Ershad that there was a body with a combat dress in the box. "Don’t BNP men know that the President can’t wear a combat dress?  Even then they haven’t  given up the habit of engaging in clashes over there," she said.  

Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said the objectives of August 15 conspirators were to make Bangladesh a failed state, thwart the achievements of the (country’s) independence and destroy the ideals of the Liberation War.

She said the name of Bangabandhu that the conspirators erased from the history for 21 years is now internationally recognised. “Now no one can erase the name anymore…. The history they had distorted is now very clear to people,” she added.

Read: Aug 21 attack wouldn’t have been possible without then govt’s patronage: PM

Reiterating that Ziaur Rahman and Khondaker Mostaq were the masterminds of the August 15 carnage, she said Bangabandhu made Ziaur Rahman the deputy army chief, bringing him from Cumilla Cantonment in order to keep his family unbroken.

She said Ziaur Rahman never believed in the existence of Bangladesh. “It’s true. No such history can be heard that Ziaur Rahman fought in any field or anywhere.”

The PM said the AL Chattogram leaders, including Mosharraf Hossain MP, named him ‘Mr Retreat’ at that time as he used to stay three miles away from any fighting spot.

Hasina said Mostaq became President depending on Ziaur Rahman but could not cling to power for a long time as Mir Jafar could not. “All use the traitors, but no one trusts them. Ziaur Rahman did exactly the same thing, and Mostaq had to step down even before completing three months in power,” she said.

In her emotion-choked voice, the PM said she got the love and affection from AL leaders and activists and the people of Bangladesh when she returned home in 1981 after losing her family members. “So, AL is my family and Bangladesh is my family… I don’t have any fear of death or any desire,” she said.

Read:PM says her main goal is to fulfill Bangabandhu’s dream of building Sonar Bangla

Hasina thanked the AL leaders and activists for helping people during the Covid-19 pandemic. “It’s the Awami League leaders and activists who are standing beside people,” she said.  

AL Dhaka city north unit Sheikh Bazlur Rahman presided over the discussion meeting moderated by its general secretary SM Mannan Kachi.

AL Dhaka city south unit president Abu Ahmed Mannafi, general secretary Humayun Kabir, vice president Nurul Amin MP, joint general secretary Morshed Kamal and organising secretary Akter Hossain, and AL Dhaka city north unit vice president Kader Khan, joint general secretary Matiur Rahman Matin and organising secretary Azizul Haque Rana spoke at the function.