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BNP founder Ziaur Rahman. Stock Image
A debate has broken out in the political arena of Bangladesh over the recommendation of the National Council of Freedom Fighters (Jamuka) to cancel the Bir Uttam title of the BNP founder, former president and commander of the Z Force of the Liberation War, Ziaur Rahman.
The BNP has claimed political revenge behind such an initiative. However, the government is unwilling to accept the BNP’s statement. AQM Minister Mozammel Haque said the issue of revoking the title was not raised due to political considerations or circumstances. Many leaders of the ruling party have spoken in favor of the Liberation War Council’s recommendation.
The Minister of Liberation War Affairs AQM Mozammel Haque presided over the meeting of the National Liberation War Council or Jamuka which decided to cancel the Bir Uttam title of Ziaur Rahman.
AQM Minister Mozammel Haque said that the Council of Freedom Fighters had recommended the revocation of Ziaur Rahman’s title on various charges, including involvement in the plot to assassinate Bangladesh’s founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and harbor the killers. . Now a committee has been formed to collect documentary evidence.
The minister said that he (Ziaur Rahman) gave the confessed killers of Bangabandhu the opportunity to leave the country. He has sent them to various state embassies. And he has formed a cabinet with those who were directly opposed to the liberation war. It has canceled the secularism that was in the spirit of the liberation war. His title has been revoked for that.
However, there are several discussions among the leaders and activists of the Awami League about the political reaction to this decision. Many of the party’s grassroots leaders and activists feel that the issue is not politically “comfortable” for the Awami League.
Speaking with some Awami League leaders in various districts, they said they faced various questions at the field level. However, they are not willing to open their mouths in public.
Many of the field leaders are again in favor of the recommendation to cancel the title. They are not willing to consider any controversy.
Jinat Sohana Chowdhury, leader of the Awami League in the port city of Chittagong, said: “The BNP is creating this controversy and there is no harm to the Awami League or the government. The debate must be in politics. The main thing is that he has rehabilitated the murderers of Bangabandhu. For everyone it is as true as daylight.
“Contributing to the liberation war is one thing and helping the confessed murderers is another. That is why I am in favor of revoking his title,” he added.
Meanwhile, many important and influential leaders of the Awami League also seemed to be quite cautious on this issue. They also declined to comment formally or publicly.
They think that although the government has not yet made a final decision on canceling Ziaur Rahman’s title, when a government committee makes a recommendation, the Awami League is faced with political issues.
Awami League presidium member and former minister Matia Chowdhury said: “The Awami League will deviate from any truth considering profit and loss. The Awami League has no such history.”
Arguing in favor of the recommendation, he said: “Jamuka has made this recommendation. Jamuka has not done anything illegal there. It is absolutely on record that Zia has rehabilitated the freedom fighters. And has completed the entire process of creating a mini-mini- Pakistan here. ”
BNP leaders protest against the recommendation and highlight Ziaur Rahman’s contribution to the liberation war. The party’s general secretary, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, responded to the Jamuka meeting immediately after the decision saying: “He (Ziaur Rahman) obtained the title of ‘Bir Uttam’, which was awarded to him by the government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. after independence. Such a decision has tarnished the image of the liberation war. “
However, the leader of the Awami League, Matia Chowdhury, said: “It must first be decided how the pro-liberation people keep the anti-independent people in power.”
Although many of the leaders of the Awami League are reluctant to take notice of the debate, many political analysts think that if the political significance is not taken into account, it could be negative for the Awami League.
Sohrab Hasan, senior journalist and political analyst, said: “The Awami League will not benefit politically because the Bangabandhu government gave them the title for their contribution to Ziaur Rahman or other sector commanders or freedom fighters in the liberation war of 1971 “. whoever commits a crime will be tried. But there is no reason to revoke someone’s title until they have been convicted. “
“If this is a strategy to pressure BNP, it is not a good strategy. And if the government makes that decision, it will be detrimental to the government,” he added.
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