PMO trashes Dr Kamal\\\'s claim

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) refuted Tuesday the rejoinder issued by Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates Monday, saying it tried to suppress the truth and was a heinous act to distort history, reports UNB.

The PMO, in a rejoinder signed by PM's special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, said: "The fact is that then foreign minister Dr Kamal Hossain was in Belgrade, Yugoslavia on a state tour. He came to Germany on August 16. He made a stopover at the house of then ambassador Humayun Rashid Chowdhury in Bonn. At that time, Bangabandhu's two daughters were present in that house."

The PMO rejoinder mentioned that Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates in its rejoinder said that Dr Kamal Hossain discussed the political asylum of the daughters of Bangabandhu with the Yugoslav government.

"But he didn't mention anything in this regard (political asylum) when he had met Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana in Germany. Bangabandhu was killed on August 15 and Dr Kamal Hossain came to Germany on August 16. When did he talk to the Yugoslav government?" questioned the PMO rejoinder.

After repeated requests from the daughters of Bangabandhu, the rejoinder said Dr Kamal Hossain had neither agreed to hold a press conference, nor protest the killing.

"It was his (Dr Kamal) duty to do so as the cabinet member of the then government. He instead looked for a safe haven by avoiding this responsibility… he looked for his own interest bypassing that of the country."

The PMO rejoinder said that late Humayun Rashid Chowdhury, although a public servant, showed his great courage by holding a press conference with Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana.