Stressing the need for unmasking the kingpins, who were behind the scene, of the assassination of Bangabandhu, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Begum Zia is also guilty of the massacre like Zia as she gave shelter to the killers of Bangabandhu and nurtured them too.
“Khandaker Moshtaq was the main plotter and Ziaur Rahman was the chief associate of the Bangabandhu assassination . . . For this, today, a demand has been raised to unmask the kingpins who plotted from behind the scene and bring them under book,” he said addressing a discussion at Jatiya Press Club here.
Pragatishil National Awami Party- NAP (Bhashani) organized the discussion marking the 45th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with the grandson of Maulana Bhashani and central convenor and chief coordinator of NAP Parash Bhashani in the chair.
In the beginning of his speech, the information minister paid rich tribute to the Father of Nation Bangabandhu and most of his family members who were killed on the fateful night August 15, 1975, and the martyrs of the August 21, 2004 gruesome grenade attack.
He also paid rich tribute to Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani.
Hasan said trial of the killers of Bangabandhu was held. “But, the trial of the plotters has not yet held. Now, a demand has been raised to unmask the plotters and bring those who are alive under justice. It is needed for the sake of real history,” he added.
He said, “I would like to say with due respect to Ziaur Rahman’s wife Begum Zia that I think that she (Begum Zia) is also guilty like Zia as she gave shelter to the killers of Bangabandhu.”
The information minister said Begum Zia allowed national flag of Bangladesh to flutter on the vehicle of self-confessed killer colonel Rashid rewarding him with the post of leader of opposition and giving him the status of a minister after the February 15, 1996 rigged polls.
Besides, he said, suddenly she (Begum Zia) started celebrating her birthday on August 15 from 1995 and cutting cake. These all are criminal offences and Begum Zia is also accused of these offences, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
He said trial of Begum Zia for celebrating fake birthday on August 15 and giving shelter to the killers of Bangabandhu should be held. And it is needed to unmask the killers of Bangabandhu through forming a commission and it is the demand of time, he added.
Extending his thanks to the NAP-Bhashani for observing the day, Hasan said the reactionaries take the opportunity whenever dissension is surfaced among the progressives, and the reactionaries took the opportunity in 1975.
Later, the reactionaries seized power by availing the advantage of weakness of the progressive forces at different times, he said, adding that all pro-independence and progressive forces to suppress the reactionaries would require to forge unity.
National Peoples Party and Nationalist Democratic Front Chairman Shiekh Salauddin Salu addressed the discussion as special guest.
Joint convenors of NAP Babul Ahmed, Monirul Hasan Monir, Mohammad Ali and Mowshumi Dewan, among others, also addressed it.BSS
