BNP was not born through the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family members on Aug 15, 1975, claims party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Zia was being accused of having masterminded the assassination by Awami League leaders although he did not hold any important position at the time, the BNP leader said.

Rizvi said that the AL leaders were intentionally not putting the blame on the then army chief as he was an AL member of parliament.

The comments came in response to AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s remarks that Zia was the mastermind of the Aug 15 assassinations.

Rizvi was speaking at a media brief held at BNP’s Central Party Office at Naya Paltan on Thursday (Aug 29).

“Those who had masterminded the assassination of former president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and taken part in the Khondokar Moshtak’s oath taking ceremony have gone on to hold high ranks within the AL-led government’s cabinet,” said Rizvi.

He observed that AL had no reservations to be in good terms with the actual masterminds so that it could stay in power while it kept on maligning Zia.

Rizvi took a jibe at Quader and said that AL Advisory Council Member HT Imam knew the answers to all questions related to the Aug 21 assassination.  

The BNP leader said that although Khaleda had fallen ill after having spent 568 days in prison, a certain quarter with a sick mentality was spreading rumours about her illness on social media platforms. 

The senior leader also said that the Prime Minister had made the year’s best comment by stating that all television channels in the country were enjoying absolute freedom.