Justice Manik labels Dr Kamal Hossain as a Pakistan collaborator

Former Supreme Court judge AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik has questioned the role of Jatiya Oikya Front leader Dr Kamal Hossain in the Liberation War.

“Let’s get something straight: Kamal Hossain is a collaborator,” Justice Manik said citing an article written by a Pakistani army general.

Justice Manik spoke at a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Online Activist Forum at the Dhaka Press Club on Friday.

After independence, Dr Kamal was tapped as the chairman of a panel formed to write the constitution. He also served the Bangabandhu government as a minister. Later, he became a member of the Awami League Presidium and contested the presidential election as the Awami League candidate in 1981 after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Dr Kamal left the Awami League in 1992 after he fell out with the party chief, Sheikh Hasina, and formed his own political party: Gono Forum.

Just ahead of the 11th parliamentary elections, Dr Kamal hit the sharp media spotlight again as he cobbled an alliance of opposition parties, including the BNP.

“Kamal Hossain joined hands with the anti-liberation forces, those who killed people with grenades. He formed an alliance with them. But I am not surprised by this because Kamal Hossain is one of them,” Justice Manik alleged.

He attributed a claim to former Bangladesh Bank Governor Mohammed Farashuddin that there was evidence that Dr Kamal was involved in the killing of Bangabandhu in 1975.

“He did not say anything wrong as he was very close to Bangabandhu,” Justice Manik said.

Digging into Dr Kamal’s past, the retired Supreme Court judge cited an article published in a magazine, “Defence Journal” in 2008 saying Dr Kamal phoned Mitta Khan on Mar 28, 1971 for help.

“Everyone has gone to India. I do not want to go. I will not fight the war. Freedom fighters will kill me; please save me,” Justice Manik quoted Dr Kamal as reportedly saying.

Justice Manik asserted that Mitta Khan first sheltered Dr Kamal in the army’s divisional headquarters and sent him to Pakistan on Mar 29 of the same year.

Taking cues from Farashuddin who spoke at an event of Bangladesh Economic Association in August, Manik said: “On that day, Mr Farashuddin said Kamal Hossain was kept there [in Pakistan] to testify against Bangabandhu. They prepared everything to hang Bangabandhu and needed a witness for that.”

“ISI is a very cunning intelligence agency. When Bangabandhu was released and sent back to Bangladesh, they boarded Kamal Hossain onto the same plane. This is the history of Kamal Hossain. He is a collaborator.”

bdnews24.com could not independently verify Justice Manik’s claims. Dr Kamal was not immediately available for comment, but his party colleague Subrata Chowdhury dismissed Justice Manik’s accusations as false.

"These are all lies. After he was taken into custody by Pakistan, Kamal Hossain was kept in Haripur jail, where he was being tried,” Subrata said.

“Then Bangabandhu came to Bangladesh along with Kamal Hossain after requesting Pakistan’s Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. This is known to everyone.”

“I don’t find any reason why Justice Manik is saying this. This is all nonsense. It’s his childish babble.”