MP Shubid Ali's comments mark the beginning of the government's demise, says BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf

The BNP says that Awami League MP Shubid Ali Bhuiyan's remarks on its founder Ziaur Rahman hints at the government's demise.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 20 August 2016, 04:53 PM
Updated : 20 August 2016, 04:58 PM

"It has started and it will lead to the government's demise," senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said at a discussion on Saturday.

At a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on public undertakings on Wednesday, Shubid said ‘Zia was the first president of Bangladesh’. More than one MP who attended the meeting confirmed to bdnews24.com  that Shubid had indeed made the comments.

In a media briefing the next day, however, the retired major general denied making such remarks and said he would quit politics if anyone could prove he had made the statement.

Shubid, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the defence ministry, earlier served as Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia when she was prime minister.

After retirement, he was denied a BNP nomination for the 2001 election in Comilla’s Daudkandi.

He later fought the polls as an independent candidate but lost.

Shubid joined and was given an Awami League ticket in 2008 and defeated BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf to become an MP.

He was given the post of chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on power, energy and mineral resources ministry.

Following the 10th parliamentary election, Shubid became chief of the parliamentary standing committee on the defence ministry.

"The Awami League lawmaker had to admit in a parliamentary panel meeting that Ziaur Rahman was Bangladesh's first president. Many say that it might have been a slip of tongue. It came out because he believes it."

The BNP Standing Committee member said his party believes things like this will happen in the future as well.

"And they will lead to the demise of the government," he added.