MPs deride 1971 war hero AK Khandker’s book on Bangladesh history

Former Awami League planning minister AK Khandker Bir Uttom has come under fire in Parliament for distortion of history in his recent book on the Liberation War.

Senior Awami League leaders bashed Khandker, the deputy chief of the Mukti Bahini, particularly for the claim that independence hero Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had said Joy Pakistan at the end of his historic Mar 7 speech in 1971.

The book was launched on Wednesday.

Former information minister Abul Kalam Azad, who initiated the long unscheduled discussion, said, “He is presenting new distorted information. I was there (during the speech). Bangabandhu did not say Joy Pakistan.”

Liberation War’s sector commander Bir Uttom Rafiqul Islam said Khandker may have been incited to write false information in his book.

“We fought the war. Khandker was in Kolkata headquarters. The war was carried out under Bangabandhu’s leadership and political leadership, not military direction,” he said.

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said he suspected that Khandker was financed by some ‘agency’ to write this book.

“Khandker took part in the war with advice from Pakistan. He wrote this book because he got a thick wad of money from some agency,” he said.

“He did not stay in Bangladesh. He took benefits from Ershad government and from Sheikh Hasina. We need to be careful about these sorts of characters.”

“This book must be banned,” he demanded in Parliament.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said the nation’s founding father Bangabandhu was a symbol of independence. “If they can hit his image, they will be able to divert the nation’s minds.”

“They are not just undermining Bangabandhu, they are undermining our nation, sovereignty and freedom,” he said.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, who was present on stage during Bangabandhu’s speech, said he did not hear the Father of the Nation say Joy Pakistan.

“He is making up his own stories,” the veteran leader said.

“I know why he has written this book, I know why he picked this particular time. He is trying to hand weapons to others,” he added.

Tofail also touched on other parts of the book.

“He wrote that Yahya’s biggest mistake was not going to Bhola after the hurricane. So the genocide was not a mistake? Yaha in fact did go to Bhola. I was there. He doesn’t know anything,” he said.

He binned former air force chief Khandker’s evaluation that the Awami League was not prepared for the war.

“Many of us present here took training. Did the country get liberated out of nothing?” he asked.

Several other MPs took part in this discussion.