Awami League Presidium Member Obaidul Quader has alleged that several civil society members had played direct roles in the conspiracy to banish party chief Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from politics – the efforts known as “Minus Two Formula” – during the 2007-08 army-backed caretaker regime.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, claimed former prime minister Khaleda's greed and practice of politics of destruction, inspired civil society members and several political beneficiaries to conspire and create the 1/11.
He was speaking at a views exchange meeting of Bangladesh Chhatra League at its Bangabandhu Avenue headquarters in Dhaka on Friday. The programme was a preparation meeting ahead of Awami League's March 7 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.
March 7 marks the anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic speech in which he called on fellow Bangalis to take up arms for Bangladesh's liberation from Pakistan.
Quader continued: “During the army-backed caretaker government in 2007 and 2008, conspirators tried hard to exile Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia from politics. Editors of two newspapers were also involved. They published false corruption news against Sheikh Hasina.”
The January 11, 2007 saw the beginning of a two-year state of emergency. Both Hasina and Khaleda were imprisoned on corruption charges. After the Awami League-led alliance rode to power through the 2008 national polls, it scrapped the caretaker provision.
During the state of emergency, The Daily Star ran unsubstantiated corruption stories against Hasina, its Editor Mahfuz Anam recently admitted on TV. He has since been accused in dozens of libel suits.
Minister Quader said the 1/11 conspirators were still active and were trying to take advantage of the “violence and destructive politics of BNP and [its ally] Jamaat-e-Islami.” “But their dream will not be fulfilled because the Awami League has learned its lesson in 2007-08. We are more alert and united,” he added.
