Hasina says Ziaur Rahman was ‘behind thousands of enforced disappearances and killings’

She says Ershad arranged the burial of an empty coffin in the name of burying Zia at Chandrima Udyan in Dhaka

BNP founder Ziaur Rahman was “responsible for thousands of enforced disappearances and murders” and the former military ruler was killed “for his sins”, Sheikh Hasina has said.

The prime minister also said HM Ershad, the military dictator who took over after Zia, arranged the burial of an empty coffin in the name of burying Zia at Chandrima Udyan in Dhaka.

Hasina was speaking at a discussion organised by the Awami League’s Dhaka Metropolitan North and South units at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Wednesday to remember the victims of the Aug 15, 1975 massacre of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family.

In her speech, Hasina recalled the events that shaped Bangladesh’s history after the assassination of her father.

Zia, who came to the centre of power after the murder of the Father of the Nation, was killed by a group of army officers at Chattogram Circuit House on May 30, 1981.

Hasina has always maintained that it was General Zia who had masterminded Bangabandhu’s murder.

On Wednesday, she said the military ruler “killed thousands of freedom fighter officers” of the Army and the Air Force to hang on to power.

“The bodies were hidden after the killings. The families still search for the bodies and the burial sites,” Hasina said.

“Sins never go unpunished. Zia was killed the way he had murdered Bangabandhu.”

Her comments came amid the BNP’s protests against alleged enforced disappearance of its leaders and workers in the past 15 years of Awami League government.

ZIA’S GRAVE

Zia was buried in a Chattogram hill after his murder. The then government said the body was exhumed and buried again at Chandrima Udyan in the parliament area of Dhaka.

Ershad, the then army chief, later usurped power.

Hasina and other senior Awami League leaders always maintained that the coffin said to be containing Zia’s body was empty.

The government also formed a committee to relocate the grave from the parliament area a few years ago, but the move did not see much progress.

Hasina said: “The grave in the parliament area does not have Zia’s remains. General Ershad said that too. He said Zia’s body was not found.”

She said Zia’s wife Khaleda Zia, the incumbent chairperson of the BNP and a former prime minister, and other members of the family did not see the body.

“Then where’s the body? Ershad was so cunning that he brought a box and buried it at an illegal structure in the parliament area. BNP leaders and supporters place flowers there. Do they know where they are placing the flowers? They don’t.”