ZCZC
BSS-49
HASAN-BNP-AUG-KILLING
BNP’s burns seeing reports on Zia-Tareque’s involvement in Aug 15, Aug 21 massacres: Hasan
DHAKA, Sept 03, 2020 (BSS)- Sharply criticizing the BNP leaders for their recent comments, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said burning and pain of BNP started due to media reports on the involvement of Zia, Tarique and Begum Zia in the August 15, 1975 and August 24, 2004 killings.
“Tarique Zia has been convicted of the August 21 gruesome grenade attack and graft case as well . . . Begum Khaleda Zia is being punished for embezzling orphans’ money,” he told the newsmen while replying to a query of a journalist at his ministry’s office at Secretariat in the city.
The information minister said the Premier has shown unprecedented generosity towards Begum Khaleda Zia. “She (the Premier) has released a convicted person for six months as per her administrative power which never happened in Bangladesh earlier,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
So, he continued, the generosity shown by the government towards Begum Khaleda Zia is incomparable contrary to the way that BNP has triggered violence holding people hostage by throwing petrol bombs.
Replying to another query, the information minister said the government of 1/11 was formed due to the limitless corruption and misrule of the than BNP government. “You all know that how BNP ruled the country from 2001 to 2006. The country became champions for five-times in corruption, ‘Bangla Bhai’ ‘Shayokh Abdur Rahman’ were created and bombs were blasted at 500 places in country’s 63 districts at that time,” he added.
He said grenade attacks were carried out on August 21, 2004 to assassinate the then Leader of the Opposition and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Parallel government has been run by creating Hawa Bhaban. The 1/11 government was formed for their extreme corruption and misrule,” he added.
Hasan said if the main purpose of that government (1/11 government) was to make Khaleda Zia minus, then they would arrest Begum Khaleda Zia at first. But they didn’t do it, he added.
The information minister said the then 1/11 government first arrested Sheikh Hasina who had protested all injustice of that government. “They had the target to make our leader Sheikh Hasina minus. Later, they arrested Begum Zia to deceive the country’s people. The leaders and workers of Awami League, not BNP’s activists, were on the field against the arrest at that time,” he added.
About BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comments on the issue of movement, the information minister said, firstly there is no bar on BNP to go to the field. This is a democratic country and anyone can go to street for movement or rallies, he added.
“You can see that rallies, processions and human chains are being held in front of the Jatiya Press Club or other places of the country every day. But, we see that BNP is fighting themselves wherever they hold meetings. Few days ago, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi went to a meeting in North Bengal, where he stopped the meeting after a scuffle,” he added.
Hasan said Mirza Fakhrul told that BNP needed to maintain internal unity. “As per his speech, I would like to urge BNP to forge internal unity. Besides, we have been listening to their repeated issuance of ultimatum for the last 11 and a half years. Their speeches are ridiculous,” he added.
BSS/Asg/PSB/KU/2050 HRS