BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed on Saturday claimed that former Dhaka University teacher Dr Mahbub Ullah was the first to declare the independence of Bangladesh in 1969.Addressing the unveiling of his book, titled ‘Bangladesh: Emergency and the Aftermath (2007-2008)’, Moudud said, “Mahbub Ullah first declared the independence of Bangladesh in 1969. The then military government grilled him for that. I was his lawyer at that time.”The programme was held at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) auditorium.Dr Mahbub Ullah who was present when Moudud made the remarks at the programme said he demanded the independence when he was arrested by the then military rulers in 1970.Over the state of emergency on January 11 in 2007, Moudud Ahmed said it was actually a conspiracy by a few military officers, headed by then army chief Moeen U Ahmed, to establish a military rule undercover of emergency.Moeen U Ahmed first resorted to the ‘minus two’ theory, than to ‘plus two’, and again reverted to ‘minus one’ theory, he said adding that it was Moeen U’s theory that had led to the minus of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.Former DU vice chancellor Prof Emajuddin Ahmed and Supreme Court Bar Association president Khandker Mahbub Hossain also spoke on the occasion.
