‘Bangabandhu not the father of the nation, We’ve many founding fathers’

The interim government does not recognise Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the father of the nation, said M Nahid Islam, adviser for the ministries of information and broadcasting, posts, telecommunications, and ICT. 

Speaking to media at the secretariat on Wednesday (October 16), Nahid Islam stated, "It was the Awami League that made Bangabandhu controversial. They governed as a fascist party, disenfranchising people through widespread killings and enforced disappearances." 

He emphasised that the new Bangladesh under the interim government will not uphold the narratives set by the Awami League. 

"Whom they called the father of the nation and the national days they declared—there will be no continuation of that in the new Bangladesh," Nahid added.

He further explained the government’s intent to restructure and reassess Bangladesh’s history. 

"If you think everything done by the Awami League is national, that's wrong. A government without votes has no legitimacy. Many things were done during their regime, but all will be restructured and reassessed," he said.

When asked whether the interim government acknowledges Bangabandhu as the father of the nation, Nahid Islam responded, "Of course not."

Responding to question, then we will not have any father of the nation, Nahid Islam said, "Many individuals have contributed to the history of our struggle for this land. Our history did not begin only in 1952. We have the anti-British struggle, the movements of '47, '71, '90, and '24. We have many founding fathers, and it is through their collective efforts that we gained our freedom."