Stating that the government has lost the ground beneath its feet, BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain called upon their party leaders and activists to initiate a movement to oust it immediately.
“You’re trying to revoke the gallantry title of Ziaur Rahman who had started the Liberation War of the country. He was also the first sector commander of the Liberation War … You have no right to repeal the title conferred on Ziaur Rahman,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said a conspiracy is there to snatch Zia’s Bir Uttam title as people are ready to free the country from Sheikh Hasina’s hands.
“I urge all to unite for ousting the government, and I’m calling you for initiating a movement,” he added.
As part of the party’s countrywide program in all cities, BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units jointly arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the Jatio Muktijoddha Council’s reported move to remove Ziaur Rahman’s Bir Uttam title.
As the rally ended around 12pm with Mosharraf’s speech, BNP leaders and activists locked into a clash with police, leaving over a hundred people injured.
Besides, police detained at least 18 people from the spot in connection with the clash.
Meanwhile, the Jatio Muktijoddha Council in a meeting on Tuesday discussed the ways to revoke the gallantry title of Ziaur Rahman for “violating” the constitution and “abetting” the self-proclaimed killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in escaping the country.
Bir Uttam, the second-highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh, was conferred on Ziaur Rahman for his contributions to the Liberation War as a sector commander.
Speaking at the rally, Mosharraf said the Jatio Muktijoddha Council has no jurisdiction to annul Zia’s gallantry title. “This title was given by the highest level of the government at that time after the independence as per a decision of a committee evaluating his contributions to the Liberation War.”
He said the council also has no authority to give anyone any gallantry title now for Liberation War contributions. “So it has also no jurisdiction to cancel the title of anyone.”
