Zia illegally grabbed power: Murad

Criticising BNP founder Ziaur Rahman for his treacherous mindset during the November 7, 1975 episode, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Md Murad Hassan on Sunday said Zia grabbed the state power illegally through murdering freedom fighters and patriotic soldiers.

“Zia grabbed the state-power by betraying and killing freedom fighters (FFs) and patriotic soldiers in the name of soldier (Sipahi) revolution,” he said.

The state minister said this while addressing a discussion on the occasion of ‘November 7, Freedom Fighter- Soldier Killing Day’’ at the National Museum premises in the capital with the slogan ‘Mujibbad Prothishtai Amader Lokkho’, a press release said.

‘Bangladesh Muktijuddho Mancha’ organized it, the release added.

On the occasion, the state minister was accorded special honors for his courageous speeches in favor of the war of liberation and non-communalism.

Murad further said that Colonel Taher was the mastermind of the November 7 revolution and as a result of that revolution, the murderous Ziaur Rahman came to power.

Not only did Zia seize power illegally, but he continued to assassinate army, navy and air force officers to make his power secured, he added.

He demanded the formation of a high-powered commission of inquiry to probe into the posthumous trial of the murderer Zia for the brutal killing of heroic freedom fighters without trial from the time period of the assassination of Bangabandhu and his most family members till 1981.

With President of ‘Bangladesh Muktijuddho Mancha’ Aminul Islam Bulbul in the chair, the discussion was addressed, among others, by Retired Justice of Appellate Division of Supreme Court Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, Sampriti Bangladesh Member Secretary Professor Dr Mamun Mahtab Sopnil and Sculptor Rasha as special guests.