Attempts to berate war hero Zia: Tarique

Despite attempts to implicate Ziaur Rahman in the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his role in the Liberation War cannot be negated, Tarique Rahman has claimed.

He was addressing an event to mark the party's 36th founding anniversary organised in East London by BNP's UK unit in the early hours of Tuesday BdST.

Tarique, eldest son to former military ruler Zia and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, reiterated that it was his father, not Mujib, who announced Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently said the BNP founder would have been put on trial, if alive, for his role in the assassination of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She also accused him of steering Bangladesh away from the original goals of the Liberation War.

Zia stopped the judgment of war criminals after grabbing power, she said.

Over 500 party activists attended the gathering presided over by BNP’s UK chapter chief Shaesta Chowdhury Kuddus and conducted by General Secretary Koysar Ahmed.

A documentary by 'Policy Forum' highlighting the contributions of party's founder Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and Tarique in taking the BNP forward was shown at the beginning of the function.

BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique then delivered his address, barely a week after he stirred fresh controversy by calling founding father Bangabandhu’s family a "curse on the nation" at another London event.

He again claimed his father was the first ‘legitimate’ president of Bangladesh.

“He was the fist to declare war against Pakistan. He also announced independence.The political leadership then failed to do this but he didn’t.”

Those who find it difficult to deny Zia’s war-time role are trying to implicate him in Sheikh Mujib’s killing, Tarique alleged .

“Those who were involved in his killing are in Sheikh Hasina’s Cabinet. They have been lying to her to save themselves.”

On Aug 25, Tarique had claimed present ministers Hasanul Haq Inu and Rashed Khan Menon were present when Khandaker Moshtaque Ahmed was being sworn in as president after Mujib’s killing.

The BNP leader, accused in a slew of cases including the Aug 21, 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally, has been living in London since 2008 with his family citing medical needs.

He resurfaced in May last year in a BNP function in London and since then has been participating in party events.

He even attended a programme of BNP's Malaysia unit.

In July, he went to Saudi Arabia and performed Umrah with his mother Khaleda.

Several months back, speaking at another programme, Tarique claimed Ziaur Rahman was Bangladesh's first president and dubbed Bangabandhu an "illegal prime minister".

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he recently added, headed a 'family of killers'.

These remarks have drawn a barrage of criticism from ruling party leaders, with many demanding Tarique be brought back to Bangladesh to stand trial.