Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif on Sunday said the decision to withdraw Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman has been taken to protect the history of great Liberation War from distortion and correct blunders of the past.
“Ziaur Rahman took part in the Liberation War as an agent of Pakistan. Awarding him with Swadhinata Padak was a wrong decision. But mistake should not be sustained forever. So, this decision has been taken to correct this mistake,” he said speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting in the city marking the National Mourning Day.
Sector Commanders Forum organized the discussion meeting at Sufia Kamal auditorium of National Museum with Forum’s Vice-President Abu Hanif Bhuiyan in the chair.
Food Minister Advocate Quamrul Islam and Sector Commanders Forum Secretary General Harun Habib addressed the meeting as special guests.
Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said Pakistani army officer Col. Aslam Begg wrote a letter to Ziaur Rahman during the Liberation War, where he said: “We are pleased with your activities. Go ahead.”
“It is certain that Ziaur Rahman worked for Pakistan and they were pleased for that,” Hanif added.
He questioned whether Ziaur Rahman was a freedom fighter or he wanted independence of Bangladesh.
Zia went to unload weapons of Pakistan from a ship during the war, the AL leader said and added that Zia was involved with the killing of Bangabandhu.
“There are adequate proofs regarding this,” he said and referred to the promulgation of Indemnity Ordinance to stop trial of Bangabandhu killing and awarding the killers.
Hanif demanded formation of an independent commission to unmask those involved with the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
