People aren’t asking to learn Liberation War history from Jamaat’s chief, says BNP’s Khosru

“What do they want to achieve by making Ziaur Rahman controversial? They will have to answer. We do not need to market Ziaur Rahman,” Khosru says

BNP National Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has criticised the remarks made by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman regarding the role of retired colonel Oli Ahmed during the declaration of Bangladesh’s independence.

In response to questions from journalists after an event in Dhaka on Tuesday, Amir Khosru said people was not trying to learn the history of the Liberation War from the Jamaat ameer.

He said that such remarks were damaging Jamaat’s remaining credibility. “I think they are harming themselves further. If they still have any acceptability left, they are losing it through such statements,” the BNP leader said.

“No one wants to learn the history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War from the Jamaat ameer, do they? Do the people of Bangladesh want to take lessons on the Liberation War from Jamaat’s chief?” he asked.

The Jamaat ameer highlighted the role of alliance partner LDP chief Oli Ahmed in the declaration of independence during an election rally at Bandar College ground in Chattogram on Monday.

At the rally, he said: “The Chattogram metropolis is not just a port city, or merely a commercial capital. It is the capital of a long history of struggle and resistance. In 1971, the declaration of independence of Bangladesh was made from here.”

“One of your proud sons was the first to shout ‘We revolt’. He is the respected president of the LDP, colonel Oli Ahmed, Bir Bikrom. He took Ziaur Rahman by the hand and led him forward.”

The Jamaat chief then said, “A salute to the people of Chattogram - you initiated this proud history.”

“Why does he (Oli) express regret, saying, ‘I fought on the battlefield. I was the second person, after Ziaur Rahman, in forming the nationalist party’? He now says, ‘I am no longer in the BNP. I cannot remain there because this is not Ziaur Rahman’s BNP.’ He says, ‘This is not Begum Zia’s BNP either’.”

Following these remarks, several media outlets reported that Shafiqur had said: “Dr Oli Ahmed, not Zia, was the first to declare independence.”

Based on those reports, journalists sought Khosru’s reaction.

In reply, the BNP leader from Chattogram said: “I did not know that the Jamaat ameer possessed so much knowledge about the Liberation War. I am pleased to see the extent of his knowledge—who declared independence, how it was declared. I hope he will tell us more—what else happened during the Liberation War. He can do that too, right?”

“And what do they want to achieve by making Ziaur Rahman controversial? They will have to answer that themselves. We do not need to market Ziaur Rahman.”

He said such remarks were being made because Jamaat had “very little to say” about Bangladesh’s future.

“We want to know—what is their programme? The people of Bangladesh want to know what your programme for the future is. What will you do for the people?

“Instead of talking about programmes, you have now gone back to the Liberation War. Then again to how the declaration of independence was made. At a time when we are trying to move away from social and political division towards a future Bangladesh, it seems new subjects are being introduced to create even more division, doesn’t it?”

Khosru went on, “There is no truth to it. He came to speak on a fabricated topic. Will anyone believe it?”

“Those who know the history of Bangladesh’s independence understand this. Will these attempts to create division and introduce a new narrative be accepted by anyone?”