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Removal of Zia's grave from Chandrima Udyan demanded

BSS . Dhaka
08 Nov 2022 20:13:30 | Update: 08 Nov 2022 20:24:16
Removal of Zia's grave from Chandrima Udyan demanded
The activists of Mayer Kanna and the families of army and airforce members who were hanged during Zia's regime in 1977 gather in the Sangsad Bhaban area in Dhaka on Tuesday demanding the removal of Zia's grave — BSS Photo

An organization named "Mayer Kanna" on Tuesday demanded removing the grave of former military ruler Ziaur Rahman from the Chandrima Udyan in the Sangsad Bhaban area in Dhaka.

The leaders of the organization came up with this demand while holding a human chain at the Chandrima Udyan.

They said if the grave of Ziaur Rahman is not removed from the Chandrima Udyan in the Sangsad Bhaban area, they will take initiative to remove it on their own.

The army and air force family members of the organization also demanded a posthumous trial of Ziaur Rahman for hanging their army and air force family members on October 2 in 1977.

They said that at that time, in the name of suppressing the mutiny, about one and a half thousand members of the military forces were unjustly given various punishments including hanging.

Referring to this event as a shameful one in history, the relatives of army and air force members mentioned that Ziaur Rahman carried out these murders to consolidate his power.

Speaking on the occasion, former Appellate Division Judge AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik said: "Ziaur Rahman worked as a spy in Pakistan during the Liberation War."

Zia basically went to India as a spy of Pakistan, he said, adding that due to this, whenever there was an opportunity, Zia brutally killed the freedom fighters as per the direction of Pakistanis.

He (Zia) killed many people in the name of justice which was nothing but a farce, he added.

Manik further said that no one has the right to do politics under the banner of the party that Zia formed.

Mentioning that there is no difference between Jamaat and BNP, he said these two parties are known as anti-liberation organizations. He demanded the dissolving BNP.

Lawmaker Naheed Ezaher Khan, the daughter of Shaheed Colonel Khondkar Nazmul Huda who was killed in the 7 November 1975 coup d', tat, said "Zia brutally killed our father 47 years ago."

A murderer's body cannot remain in a holy area like the Sangsad Bhaban, she said.

She also added that the graves of all war criminals including Zia should be removed from here. 

Besides, she strongly demanded to provide financial assistance from the victims.

A protest procession was brought out following the human chain to demand providing help for the victims and ensuring justice for the killers.

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