Killer Ershad still a broker: BNP

The BNP has hit back at HM Ershad for his harsh remarks about late president Ziaur Rahman, accusing the Jatiya Party chief of supporting the cause of Pakistanis during the Liberation War.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 13 July 2014, 05:43 PM
Updated : 14 July 2014, 07:11 AM

At a media briefing at the BNP headquarters on Sunday, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said: “Ershad was brokering for Pakistanis, going against the country, in 1971. He is still involved in brokering as he did in ’71.”

He said Ershad was echoing the statement of the government by claiming that South Talpatti no longer exists on the Bay of Bengal.

The area in which the 2,500 square kilometres island was once visible fell to India following the recent resolution of a maritime dispute with Bangladesh.

Ershad, former military strongman, in an open letter to the prime minister asserted that BNP founder Gen Zia, who made Ershad the army chief “assumed power through bloodsheds”.

“The steps of his ascension to power had been laid through the murders of Bangabandhu and his family on Aug 15, 1975.”

“General Zia assumed office by walking the paths stained by the blood of Nov 3 and Nov 7 (incidents). But I, on the other hand, was handed state power and I accepted it for the sake of the country,” wrote Ershad.

Rejecting Ershad’s remarks published in a newspaper on Saturday, BNP’s Rizvi said: “We are vehemently condemning and protesting against the statement from a killer and corrupt autocrat.

“His entire statement is false, fabricated and intentional,” retorted the BNP’s joint secretary general.

“Ershad is an agent of lies. Like Lucifer, he has attempted to entice people with sweet words. He tried to ease his autocratic rule by creating a rift between the people and the army,” said Rizvi.

“He waited and seized power few months after President Zia was martyred. He wanted a favourable condition to set in. He didn’t try to grasp the seat of power right away because he didn’t want people to think he was involved in Zia’s assassination. He began his conspiracies afterwards.”

Turning his gun on the government, he said it was arresting BNP leaders and activists even in the month of Ramadan, fearing a tough movement after Eid.

He claimed police were swooping down on the houses of BNP leaders and activists, ‘even during Ramadan’, to pre-empt the planned agitation.
He demanded an end to the ‘oppression’ of the party’s leaders and an ‘unconditional release’ of those arrested.