BNP is a byproduct of Bangabandhu killing: Information Minister

Information and broadcasting minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday said Ziaur Rahman and his family were the most beneficiaries of Bangabandhu killing and the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) is the byproduct of the incident, reports news agency BSS.

“It is a matter of great regret that BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman was one of the main kingpins of the brutal killing. Zia and his family were the most beneficiaries of Bangabandhu assassination and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is the byproduct of the incident,” he alleged.

The minister told newspersons after paying rich tribute to Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait at Dhanmondi-32 in the capital along with the leaders of Awami League marking the National Mourning Day.

Hasan said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bangali of all time, was killed brutally along with most of his family members on this day in 1975. The killers were tried, but the main kingpins of the killing, including Ziaur Rahman, were not tried, he added.

He said now the hope of the nation is to bring the masterminds of Bangabandhu killing under trial through forming a commission and unmask them before the future generation.

The government is working to this end to bring back the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu to execute the verdict, added Hasan Mahmud, also joint general secretary of ruling Awami League.

Later, the minister joined a discussion organised by Muktijuddher Chetonar Sangbadik Forum at the National Press Club.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) former president and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) managing director and chief editor Abul Kalam Azad, senior journalists Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, BFUJ president Omar Faruque, secretary general Dip Azad, National Press Club president Farida Yesmin, DUJ president Sohel Haider Chowdhury, general secretary Akter Hossain, National Press Club joint secretary Mainul Alam and treasurer Shahed Chowdhury, among others, addressed the discussion with forum president Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury in the chair.

Hasan Mahmud also said the anti-liberation evil forces have become impatient as pro-liberation force is in power for thirteen and a half years. For this, they (anti-liberation forces) are hatching conspiracies and creating confusion among the countrymen, he added.

About the responsibility of journalists, the minister said journalist society had played a pivotal role in all sectors including the independence movement and struggle for freedom. No government in the world could run the state with cent per cent accuracy and they would not do it in future, too, he added.

“We have also mistakes. But, currently some mass media have chosen the path of creating confusion among the people to project the partial situation of the country through hiding the global situation. I would like to urge every member of the forum to be vocal against the ill efforts through their reporting from their respective organisations.”

Warning the agitators, Hasan said Bangabandhu’s daughter prime minister Sheikh Hasina has shown her generosity and gave instructions not to obstruct and arrest the protesters. “We also didn’t obstruct any peaceful movement earlier. But, tough actions would be taken if anyone tries to carry out vandalism, arson attacks to destroy the peace of common people,” he warned.

The minister said it is needed to prevent injustice to establish justice. The trial of Bangabandhu killing has been done while the trial of war criminals is going on, he added.

It is also needed to hold trial of those persons who gave directives and provided money to kill innocent people through petrol bomb attacks in the name of establishing justice, he said.

About Begum Khaleda Zia’s “fake birthday”, Hasan said, “Begum Zia has proved and accepted that her husband Ziaur Rahman was the main kingpin of Bangabandhu killing through changing her birthday on 15 August.”