Ziaur Rahman ruined the spirit of independence, says Ershad

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman tried to kill the spirit of independence.

Chittagong Bureaubdnews24.com
Published : 12 Nov 2014, 07:38 PM
Updated : 12 Nov 2014, 07:38 PM

“Ziaur Rahman might be a freedom fighter. But after independence, he ruined its spirit,” said Ershad, who was the Army chief during Zia’s regime, on Wednesday.

“And Khaleda Zia gave the anti-liberation people the national flag by making them ministers.”

Addressing a public meeting at Laldighi ground in Chittagong City, Ershad claimed that theJatiya Party was the country’s only nationalist party.

“The Jatiya Party is a party which believes in Bangladesh’s independence, sovereignty and sprit of Liberation War,” he said.

The former military strongman exchanged pleasantries with those attending the rally in Chittagong’s dialect.

Expressing his satisfaction at the turnout at the rally, he said: “I haven’t seen such a rally before.”

Ershad said: “People of the country now want freedom and security and want to sleep in peace. Terrorism, murder, corruption, extortion and tender manipulation are taking place in the country.”

He claimed that there was no terrorism and extortion during his regime.

“I quit 24 years back. After that the politics of revenge has been established. Bomb attacks were carried out to kill the prime minister,” he said in reference to the Aug 21, 2004 grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina.