Zia was main mastermind of Aug 15 killing: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Monday said the national and international evil forces that opposed Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 had assassinated Bangabandhu and most of his family members.

“BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman was one of the masterminds of the assassination,” he told the inaugural function of ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Mobile Rail Museum’ at New Rail Station of the port city, reports BSS.

Terming the Bhola incident as an August conspiracy, Hasan said the BNP and anti-liberation forces resort to different conspiracies in the month of August. Grenade attacks were carried out to kill Bangabandhu’s daughter and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in broad daylight on August 21, 2004 under the supervision of Tarique Zia and the then premier Begum Khaleda Zia knew everything, he added.

The minister said bombs attacks were carried out at 500 places across the country on August 17. The BNP starts different conspiracies when the month of August comes and this time they are also planning to carry out different conspiracies and sabotage acts across the country and the Bhola incident was one of the incidents of that plan, he added.

He said the investigation will reveal how he died. “We know that the BNP has taken plans to create anarchy across the country in the month of August. But, the BNP would not get the scope. Awami League is the party of mass people and they will resist them,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

The minister said Khandaker Mostaq Ahmad appointed Ziaur Rahman as the army chief after the killing of Bangabandhu. And it proved that Ziaur Rahman was one of the main masterminds of Bangabandhu’s assassination, he added.

The killing incident of August 15 was merely not the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as Bangabandhu and most of his family members were killed aimed at jeopardizing the independence of Bangladesh.

He said ill efforts were made to make confederation with Pakistan and to change national anthem and nation flag after the incident.

Hasan extended thanks to the railways authority for the mobile museum and preserve the proceedings of trial of Bangabandhu killing to let the next generation know the real history. 

He said it is needed to unmask the masterminds of the Bangabandhu killing through forming a commission.

Additional Secretary to the Railways Ministry Md Faruk-uz-Zaman addressed the function as special guest with Bangladesh Railway Eastern Zone General Manager Md Jahangir Hossain in the chair.