The BNP has claimed that the book “1971: Bhetore Baire” is a document against the ruling party’s long-drawn false campaign.
“What deputy chief of the liberation forces AK Khandaker has written in his book is the truth. People also believe this,” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
“The Awami League has caught fire as he [Khandaker] disclosed the fact,” he said while addressing a milad and doa mahfil at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office to mark the fifth death anniversary of its ex-standing committee member M Saifur Rahman on Friday.
In his book “1971: Bhetore Baire” published recently, AK Khandaker claims that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman concluded his historic March 7, 1971 speech saying “Joy Pakistan.” The claim has triggered a fresh controversy.
Coming up with a sharp reaction on Thursday, MPs in parliament demanded that a case be filed against Khandaker on a sedition charge for distorting history and undermining Bangabandhu in the book.
Apparently reacting to the MPs’ attacks on Khandaker, Fakhrul said the book proved that the Awami League’s claim about Sheikh Mujib having proclaimed the country’s independence was wrong.
“A few MPs yesterday [Thursday] demanded trial on charge of treason of a person who was a valiant freedom fighter, fought in the field and made sacrifices for the country’s independence and who was their MP and minister a few months back!” the BNP leader said.
Slamming the MPs for making offensive comments on Khandaker, Fakhrul asked them to rather accept the truth revealed by Khandaker. “The real face of truth will always come out. AK Khandaker only disclosed the truth,” Fakhrul said.
He alleged that the Awami League was not willing to accept the historical fact as it did not want to recognise anyone else except “a single person.” He also criticised AL leaders of the time for fleeing to India instead of joining the battle.
“Those of us who were on the spot had heard Sheikh Mujibur Rahman concluding his March 7 speech saying ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Pakistan.’ It was right in the perspective of that time. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman cannot be undermined or blamed if anyone now says that,” the BNP spokesman said.
Fakhrul also said AK Khandaker rightly mentioned that there would not have been so many casualties on the night of March 25 and the day after in 1971 had the Awami League prepared for the Liberation War.
