Expressing his dismay over the BNP’s nomination in Rangpur by-polls, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said it does not surprise anyone, rather it is normal for BNP as the party selected its candidate for Rangpur by-polls from a killer’s family of Bangabandhu and four national leaders.
“BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman and his wife Begum Khaleda Zia not only gave shelter to the killers of Bangabandhu, but they also rehabilitated them (killers) politically,” he told newsmen after a meeting at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka on Monday (Sept 8).
The minister said Ziaur Rahman rewarded the killers of Bangabandhu by providing them overseas jobs and helped them flee the country and take refuge abroad.
“Zia passed the ‘Indemnity Bill’ in the parliament to stop the trail of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Begum Khaleda Zia made one killer the opposition leader in parliament after the so-called Feb 15 election and gave the national flag to flutter in his vehicle,” he added.
“So, it is no wonder that the BNP has nominated a candidate from a killer’s family of Bangabandhu and it is part of their toxic political design. But this goes beyond political courtesy,” Dr Hasan, also Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary said.
Earlier, Dr Hasan was addressing the meeting on ‘Media, Publicity and Documentation Sub-committee’ of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary celebration national implementation committee in the auditorium of the institution.
Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, State Minister for Information Dr Murad Hasan and committee members were present at the meeting. Information Ministry Secretary Abdul Malek conducted the meeting.
Referring to Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s criticism of the prime minister’s speech in parliament, Dr Hasan turned down the BNP secretary general’s statement saying the language of Fakhrul tantamount to a total violation of political norms. “Mirza Fakhrul is out to break his own record of telling lies repeatedly by himself and now many are calling him as ‘Mithya Fakhrul’ (liar Fakhrul),” he added.
Actually the politics of BNP is based on lies, the minister said, adding Begum Khaleda Zia had taken two houses and Taka 10 lakh from Ershad when he captured power in 1982. “Why she (Begum Khaleda) took the two houses and the money if she was opposed to the power capture of Ershad,” he asked.
Dr Hasan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the bitter truth in the parliament and the truth irritated the BNP leader.
About an allegation of the BNP leader on Begum Zia’s health issue, the information minister said the BNP insulted Begum Zia by doing ill politics over her health issue.
He said BNP chief Begum Zia served as the prime minister two times and the opposition leader once, leading her party for long with complications of knee and waist pain. Her health problems are nothing new, he added.
The BNP is exposing its political bankruptcy by doing politics on the Begum Zia’s health issue, Dr Hasan said.
At the meeting, the information minister informed that the international conference on Bangabandhu will be held in eight leading cities of the world including Dhaka.