DHAKA, Sept 13, 2019 (BSS) – Asserting that Awami League never believes in the politics of vengeance, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today called upon BNP to leave the path of vengeance in politics introduced by its founder Ziaur Rahman.
He rejected BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s allegations made at a recent meeting that the ruling Awami League is working to build an opposition-free Bangladesh and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was sent to jail due to vengeance.
“But, the reality is that Ziaur Rahman had begun the politics of vengeance in the country and Begum Zia maximized it,” Hasan told a discussion at AL Dhaka South City Unit office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, a pro-AL cultural organisation, arranged the discussion, marking the 127th birth anniversary of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, one of the most powerful political leaders of the Indian sub-continent.
Speaking as the chief guest, Hasan, also AL publicity and publication secretary, said Khaleda Zia started celebrating her birthday on August 15 in 1992, the day of the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members in 1975.
“She (Khaleda) changed her birthday due to vengeance,” he added.
Sponsored by the state and led by her son Tarique Rahman, a grenade attack was carried out on an AL rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in August 21, 2004 aiming to kill the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina and make AL leaderless, the information minister said.
During the BNP era, many AL leaders including Shah AMS Kibria and Ahsanullah Master were killed in different bomb attacks, but there was no incident of attack on BNP rallies during the AL regimes, he added.
“These incidents prove that you (BNP leaders) are involved in the politics of vengeance…that’s why you should apologize to the nation for these incidents,” the AL leader said.
Recalling the contribution of the ‘champion of democracy’ Suhrawardy to politics, Hasan said his name has been attached to different achievements of Bangladesh.
“Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the founder of the Bangalee nation. He established the dignity of Bangalees. And AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is implementing the unfinished tasks of Bangabandhu,” the information minister said, adding Suhrawardy made Bangabandhu a close one seeing his political sagacity.
Chaired by Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote president Sarah Begum Kabari, the discussion was addressed, among others, by AL deputy publicity and publication secretary Aminul Islam Amin, general secretary of AL Dhaka South City Unit Shahe Alam Murad, Jubo League organising secretary Badiul Alam Bodi, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote general secretary Arun Sarkar Rana, singer Rafiqul Alam and actor Aruna Biswas.