Hasina says she was first to condemn Zia’s killing

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she was the first to issue a statement condemning the murder of president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 17 Sept 2014, 06:24 PM
Updated : 17 Sept 2014, 06:24 PM

She made the claim on Wednesday while replying to queries during the prime minister’s question-answer session in Parliament.

Hasina had said in her statement in 1981: “The country will run as per the Constitution.”

To a question by Fazilatunnesa Bappi, she said she was coming back to Dhaka from Sylhet on the day Zia was assassinated.

The rail link between Dhaka and Sylhet snapped as floods had damaged a bridge, the prime minister said. She came to know about murder at Akhaurha after restoration of the rail communications on the route.

Hasina said she wrote the statement at Awami League leader and former president Zillur Rahman’s in-law’s house at Bhairab in Kishoreganj.

According to her, she had sent the statement to Dhaka through Mostafa Mohsin Montu.

Replying to questions on Wednesday, Hasina said Zia had tried to block her return to Bangladesh after her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated with most of his family by disgruntled army officers.

She said her life was not smooth following the murder of Bangabandhu. She said attempts were made on her life several times.

The prime minister highlighted the measures her government had taken to make journey of homebound people ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha trouble-free.