‘Nov 7 a black day’

November 7 is a black day in Bangladesh’s history when many soldiers and officers were killed.

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said this on Saturday while talking to the journalists at his official residence in the capital.

“Many soldiers and officers including freedom fighters Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf, Colonel Huda, Colonel Haider were killed on this day in 1975.”

“But BNP observes it as the national revolution and solidarity day,” Hasan Mahmud, also Awami League joint general secretary, said.

“Zia illegally seized power on this day and continued killing army, navy, and air force officers to hold onto it.”

He even killed Colonel Taher who had freed him from jail, and BNP started its journey with the politics of assassination, the minister said.

For the last decade, the party has been boycotting elections, trying to foil it and even burnt many people to death, he added.

Left-wing army personnel and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal launched a coup on November 7, 1975.

Ziaur Rahman was freed from house arrest on the day and allowed to eventually come to power and become president.

However, Khaled Mosharraf, who had removed those involved in the assassination of Sheikh Mijibur Rahman from power, was killed in the coup.