Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the allegation while speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
“The government is conspiring afresh over late president Ziaur Rahman out of jealousy. After initiating a move to implement their blueprint of removing his grave from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, now they’re trying to capture the Zia Memorial Museum,” he said.
The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party men erased Zia’s name on Tuesday from the nameplate of the museum a day after Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel proposed in Monday’s Cabinet meeting that the Liberation War Museum be renamed.
“It's not just a dirty act, but a cowardice move. Insulting a valiant freedom fighter under the patronage of the government means dishonouring the Liberation War and the Independence,” he said.
Rizvi said Zia’s name is deeply rooted in the hearts of people as he is the source of their inspiration. “No plot can isolate him from the country’s people.”
After ‘snatching’ people’s voting rights through a ‘vote robbery’ in the December-30 election, he said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now hurting the public sentiment. “I would like to tell the government you please don’t hurt people’s sentiment. Or else, people will break your black hand resisting the violent attack of the state power.”
The BNP leader also urged the government to retreat from its move to erase Zia’s name from the museum and relocate his grave from the parliament area.
“You won’t be able to remove his (Zia’s) name from people’s heart by using the state power, police, BGB Rab and guns,” Rizvi added.