Zia, collaborators, war criminals were beneficiaries of August 15: Inu
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said today that the beneficiaries of the August 15 assassination were Zia, the killers of Bangabandhu, pro-Pakistani elements and war criminals.
Zia like Mir Zafar of Palashy infamy would be synonymous with betrayal.
He recalled the huge number of martyrs during the rule of Ziaur Rahman, particularly in the cantonments.
The minister was speaking as the president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASHOD) at a function held by the party to commemorate the martyrdom of Col Abu Taher, who was sentenced to death by an on-camera summary military court in 1976.
Inu and other speakers, including Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, MP, called Taher's sentence a killing and referred to the ruling of the High Court, a couple of years back, to the effect.
Inu said that as far as the people were concerned Taher was always a hero and Zia a villain.
Explaining the difference between the two-Taher and Zia-Inu said while Taher was pro-Bangladesh, Zia was pro-Pakistani.
Inu refuted charges made in a Bengali daily that they were involved with the tragedy of 15th August 1975 and said it was never mentioned in any of the court hearings regarding the incident.
He said it was a conspiracy to break the unity of the pro-Liberation, secular and democratic forces at a time when the country was facing the challenge of militancy.
He emphasised that neither JASHOD, nor Col Taher or he was in any way involved with the incident of August 15 1975. On the contrary, they had suffered a lot under the rule of Khondoker Moshtaque.
His party had also held a demonstration two days after the killings and issued a joint leaflet along with the now defunct political parties UPP and JAGMUI.
Menon in his speech said that the dream of Taher was for a socialist country and that they had not forgotten it.
"We've not been able to attain it but we have established a secular and pro-Liberation government, "he said.
Former Industries' Minister Dilip Barua speaking on the occasion also recollected the achievements in building a secular, pro-Liberation society and added that the dream of a socialist society was a long and complicated process.
Source: BSS
