ZCZC
BSS-43
HASAN-BNP-KHALEDA-RESPONSIBILITY
BNP leaders shoulder responsibility of August 21 grenade attack by endorsing Begum Zia’s role: Hasan
DHAKA, Aug 23, 2020 (BSS)- Sharply criticising BNP leaders’ statements that clean up dirt of Begum Zia’s involvement in the August 21 grenade attack, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP leaders are shouldering responsibility of killing by endorsing Begum Zia’s role in the August 21 massacre.
“Today, the countrymen demand that Begum Khaleda Zia should also be made an accused in the grenade attack case for establishing justice and ensuring fair trial. Otherwise, the people will not think that the trial will be completed in its entirety,” he added.
The information minister came up with the remarks while addressing a discussion organized by the Ivy Rahman Parishad marking her death anniversary at an auditorium of Jatiya Press Club here.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem addressed the meeting as special guest.
In the beginning of his speech, Dr Hasan paid rich tribute to Father of Nation Bangabandhu and other martyrs of his family who were assassinated brutally on August 15, 1975 and the martyrs of the August 21, 2004 gruesome grenade attack including Ivy Rahman.
The information minister said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave a long statement to protect her leader (Begum Zia) when the countrymen raised a demand to bring Begum Zia to book over the August 21 grenade attack.
He said Awami League wanted to hold the rally on Muktangaon at that time. “But, they didn’t allow as it would not be easy to carry out the attack there (Muktangaon). Though they gave approval to hold rally on Bangabandhu Avenue, but police didn’t allow our activists to stay in other buildings of the Avenue for security reason. Even, those who came forward to help the injured after the grenade attack were beaten up with sticks and tear gas shells were fired on them. And evidences were destroyed by spraying water in that night as per the directives of the then government,” he added.
“Even, an army official was terminated for preserving unexploded grenade. Why?” the information minister questioned.
He said the investigation commission under the supervision of justice Joynul Abedin gave a bizarre report. “Even, when an obituary reference was moved in parliament, it was not allowed. And they cut jokes out of it,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
The information minister said the Premier told rightly that Begum Khaleda Zia carried out the attack through her son to kill the then Leader of the Opposition and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Now, the countrymen are demanding that Begum Khaleda Zia should also be brought to book for establishing justice and ensuring fair trial. Otherwise, the people will not consider the trial as a complete one,” he added.
He said, with due respect to Begum Khaleda Zia, ‘I would like to say that suddenly she changed her date of birth and celebrated her birthday on August 15, 1995, instead of her actual date of birth to ridicule the August 15, 1975 assassination, and to encourage the killers.
She (Begum Zia) didn’t open her door when the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went her house to express sympathy in the wake of her son’s demise. It is clear like broad daylight that the gruesome attacks were carried out through her (Begum Zia) son to kill Sheikh Hasina and she was well informed, he added.
“For this, I would like to say Mirza Fakhrul, please don’t should the responsibility of the killing by talking in favour of the attack and the BNP chief as well. You should seek apology from the countrymen for your politics of killing. Please don’t try to make confusion among the commoners by giving such statement,” Hasan said.
Enamun Haque Shamim paid rich tribute to late President Zillur Rahman and his wife Ivy Rahman and said the duo’s leadership has set an example before the new generation.
Lawmaker Umme Fatema Nazma Begum (Shuly Azad), AL Swechchhasebak League president Nirmal Ranjan Guha, AL south city unit president Freedom Fighter Abu Ahmed Mannafi, AL Swechchhasebak League general secretary AKM Afzalur Rahman Babu and AL leader AM Karim, among others, addressed the meeting.
Ivy Rahman Parishad advisor Freedom Fighter Md Akram Hossain presided over the meeting while it’s joint convenor Md Aktaruzzaman Khoka conducted it.
BSS/Asg/BN/PSB/KU/2038 HRS