Zia first president of country, claims Khaleda
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Two days after her eldest son’s assertion, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday also claimed that her late husband Ziaur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh and proclaimer of its independence. “Though the whole world and the country’s people recognise Ziaur Rahman as the proclaimer of Bangladesh, Awami League could never accept it… but they won’t be able to remove the real history, no matter what hard efforts they make and what the court says. The true history will treat Ziaur Rahman as the first president of Bangladesh and proclaimer of its independence,” she said. Khaleda came up with the claim while addressing a discussion at the Institution of Engineers arranged by Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, marking the great Independence Day. Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, an associate body of BNP, honoured freedom fighters at the programme and gave Khaleda Zia a crest recognising her as a freedom fighter. Several hundred pro-BNP freedom fighters from across the country attended the programme. Khaleda also received a citation on behalf of her husband Ziaur Rahman. In her nearly 43-minute long address, Khaleda narrated the history of the Liberation War from her memories. She described how Zia had organised the war, his role, and the ordeal she along with her two sons went through and their escaping life during the Liberation War. Khaleda urged the freedom fighters to write books based on facts of the Liberation War so that Awami League cannot distort the history. Khaleda said Ziaur Rahman in 1971 had proclaimed the country’s independence when nobody dared to that, which inspired the nation to fight against the Pakistani occupation forces and liberate the country.
Earlier on Tuesday, BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, addressing a party programme in London, claimed that his father Ziaur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh. Khaleda said Awami League fears BNP as it is the party of the proclaimer of the country’s independence and frontline freedom fighters, according to a news agency.