Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said Ziaur Rahman never claimed himself as declarer of independence contrary to what BNP claims, as Awami League leader MA Hannan was the first man to read out the proclamation of Independence on Bangabandhu’s behalf. “Zia never claimed that he declared the independence. . . But BNP always tried to distort the history after Zia’s death,” he said while addressing as the key speaker a memorial meeting of AL leader MA Hannan at the Jatiya Press Club auditorium here.
He added: “I want to remind them (BNP) that the real history of Bangladesh has been written vividly in documents of foreign countries as well.” Jananeta MA Hannan Smriti Parishad organised the memorial function, marking the 45th death anniversary of the veteran Awami League leader of Chattogram. Awami League Presidium Member and former minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain addressed the memorial function as the chief guest and party’s Organising Secretary and Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel as the special guest.
Awami League Publicity and Publication Deputy Secretary Aminul Islam Amin chaired the function.
Hasan said Awami League leader MA Hannan was the first person who read out the proclamation of Independence on behalf of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Chattogram Kalurghat Betar Kendra. “Later, the then AL leaders called Ziaur Rahman to read out the proclamation as army personnel,” he said, adding Zia as a military official followed the instruction of the then AL leaders.
“Actually, the politics of BNP is established on lies and the birth of the party is illegal,” Hasan said.
Hasan said, “Now BNP’s lawmakers are saying that the parliament is illegal… but they went to the parliament, so they (BNP lawmakers) also have become illegal members of the parliament”.
He said as per the court, BNP is an illegal party. “No one can find BNP on the roads. Now, they are doing politics which is Naya Paltan party office centric,” he added.
Replying to a comment of BNP leader Rizvi Ahmed, Hasan said the government doesn’t interfere in the cases of BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia. Hasan said Begum Zia has already got bail in some cases. So, there is no other ways to release her as the court will decide whether she will be released or not, the minister added.
Paying a rich tribute to MA Hannan, Mosharraf said he was a dedicated leader of Awami League and he was also elected as organizing secretary and later general secretary of Chattogram district unit of Awami League. He was the first person to broadcast Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s declaration of independence from Kalurghat Betar Kendra, he added.
