Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Monday Bangladesh could have been a developed nation 20 years ago if Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were not assassinated.
“The major characteristic of Bangabandhu was that he loved people. The annual growth of Bangladesh is highest among the all Asian nations and it has happened because we follow the path shown by him,” he said at a discussion program organized by Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB) to mark the national mourning day at the National Museum auditorium in Dhaka.
Although Bangabandhu is no more, his ideals, the spirit and the dream of Bangladesh still exists, he said adding that the country could have developed 20 years ago if the father of nation was not shot dead.
Speaking as a special guest, Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem said the assassinators thought they could wash away the name of Bangabandhu after killing him, but the killers including Khandaker Mostaque and Ziaur Rahman did not know that a dead Sheikh Mujib is more powerful.
The state faced existential crisis after Bangabandhu was killed, but his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina brought the nation out of that crisis, said Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury.
“Attempts were made to make it disappear that Bangabandhu's family was killed by amending the constitution. A solid attempt was made to turn Bangladesh towards the ideologies that Pakistan follows,” he said.
University Grants Commission Chairman Prof Kazi Shahidullah said Bangabandhu first emphasized on economic freedom of the country, but his contribution was mostly reproached instead of highlighted after the country got independence.
“It was Bangabandhu who made it possible to withdraw the Indian military base from Bangladesh. He enacted a constitution within a year of independence, including secularism, else the country could have remained another state of Pakistan.” he said.
National Prof Rafiqul Islam termed Bangabandhu as the greatest Bangali of all time because Bangabandhu had never sacrificed the national interest for the sake of his own.
Bangladesh Accreditation Council Chairman Prof Mesbahuddin Ahmed demanded to form a commission to investigate the people involved with the killers of Bangabandhu.
APUB Secretary Benzir Ahmed, in his inaugural speech, said the schemers wanted to stunt the Bangabandhu’s ideology after killing him but the country is now a role model for development.
APUB President Sheikh Kabir Hossain said it was unimaginable that someone would kill Bangabandhu.
Dr Kazi Anis Ahmed, vice president of board of trustees at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh thanked all for attending the discussion.
The event was chaired by APUB president Sheikh Kabir Hossain; Special Advisor to ULAB board of trustees Prof Imran Rahman, ULAB Vice Chancellor Prof HM Jahirul Haque, Stamford University Bangladesh Vice Chancellor Professor Mohammad Ali Naqi, and Daffodil International University Vice Chancellor Dr M Lutfar Rahman were present, among others.