Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Khaleda Zia had paved the way for HM Ershad to take over state power in 1982 after receiving various facilities from the former military ruler.
“Sattar (Justice Abdus Sattar) was the acting chairman of BNP. Though Begum Khaleda Zia did not join politics at that time, she suddenly made a statement to oust Sattar from the post of chairman. I would like to say Khaleda Zia had created the scope for Ershad to grab power in 1982,” she said while taking part in discussions on the condolence motion on late opposition leader HM Ershad and others at the Jatiya Sangsad on Sunday.
“This is why General Ershad gave them not only two houses but also many other facilities, including Tk10 lakh in cash. So, BNP didn’t move for the Zia killing case at that time. After many years, may be in 1991 or 1994, Khaleda Zia blamed Ershad for killing her husband.”
The premier said Justice Abdus Sattar was BNP candidate in the 1981 presidential election. In fact, then army chief General Ershad had made him (Sattar) the candidate.
In a foreign newspaper, Ershad announced Sattar as his candidate. But, Awami League raised objection to such a candidature and urged for holding the election in a fair manner for the sake of the continuation of democracy, she said.
The prime minister also recalled the role of former MP and National Awami Party President Prof Muzaffar Ahmad during the Liberation War and that of Indian minister Sushma Swaraj, particularly in implementation of Land Boundary Agreement signed between Bangladesh and India.