Zia established reign of killing to cling to power: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said the politics of killing of Ziaur Rahman is a black chapter in the country’s history as he killed hundreds of officers and soldiers of armed forces to cling to power.

“Ziaur Rahman, who was involved in the assassination of Bangabandhu, killed hundreds officers and soldiers of armed forces after grabbing power and established a reign of ‘killing’ and ‘curfew’ in the country. But, after committing such crimes he could not protect himself,” he said.

The minister stated this while exchanging views with newsmen at the meeting room of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital.

Hasan said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spread hatred against the government after placing wreath on the grave of Ziaur Rahman marking his 40th death anniversary Sunday morning, reports BSS.

“I would like to tell that Ziaur Rahman was not only involved in the killing of Bangabandhu, he (Zia) rehabilitated the killers of Bangabandhu at home and abroad and gave them jobs at missions. Even, Zia enacted the Indemnity Ordinance, so that the killers of Bangabandhu were not tried,” he added.

The minister said Zia did everything so that the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were not tried. Zaiur Rahman and his family members were the most beneficiaries of the Bangabandhu assassination, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

He said Zia was killed on May 30 in 1981 by that armed force which was used for grabbing power by him (Zia). “We don’t support any killing. Besides, I, with due respect, would like to say to Ziaur Rahman’s wife Begum Khaleda Zia that August 21 grenade attacks were carried out when she was in power,” he added.

Terming the attack as one of the rare incidents of history across the globe, Hasan said Tarique Rahman orchestrated the monstrous grenade attacks on Awami League rally on August 21, 2004, with the consent of his mother and BNP chief Khaleda Zia.

Besides, he said, thousands of people including Ahsanullha Master, Shah AMS Kibria, Manjurl Imam of Khulna, Humayun Kabir Balu, Gopal Krishnaw Muhuri, imams, Buddhist monks and many journalists were killed during Khaleda Zia’s regime.

Replying to another comment of Mirza Fakhrul, the minister said multi-party democracy is prevailing in the country and there are many registered political parties here.

He said they (BNP), in fact, gave this type of ridicules statements to create confusion among the countrymen.

Besides, sometimes they declared to boycott elections or by-elections and those who are afraid of elections, try to get satisfaction by telling these, he added.

The minister said, in fact, the Awami League is with all good works of the country. The nation achieved independence under the leadership of Bangabandhu and Awami League. Bangladesh has already been graduated into a developing nation from least development country under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.

He said the per capita income now stands at $2227. Besides, the country left behind Pakistan in all indexes and neighbouring India in some indexes, he added.

Even, he said, Bangladesh left behind India in the per capita income recently. The country has been changed during the last years, he added.