LONDON: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman has given a new nasty lesson about the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the party leaders saying “Bangabandhu agreed for a national government accepting Yahya Khan as president”.

Earlier, he termed Bangabandhu as the ‘Illegal Prime Minister’ and a ‘traitor’.

On Monday night (London time), Tarique gave this new lesson of history to his party men addressing a discussion organized in connection with Victory Day in East London.

Tarique was accompanied by BNP joint-secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP chairperson’s adviser Mir Nasiruddin and international affairs secretary Mahidur Rahman in the meeting, with local BNP unit president Shayesta Chowdury Quddus in the chair.

Though it was a Victory Day discussion but Tarique, in his speech, castigated Bangabandhu and his daughter also ruling Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina.
 
He sought support for his mother, BNP chief Khaleda Zia rather giving any guideline to the party men.

Tarique, in his speech, tried to demean the contribution of Bangabandhu in all sectors including the liberation war.

He poured the same venom in his speeches delivered in recent several meetings.

Tarique claimed that Sheikh Mujib never wanted independence of Bangladesh adding that earlier he mentioned on several occasions.
 
In his new lesson to party man, Tarique said that during talks with then Pakistan military ruler Yahya from March 17 to 25, Sheikh Mujib was busy in securing his premiership.  He agreed to a national government under Yahya Khan as President.

This truth was revealed from a discussion of Bangabandhu with an officer of that period, Tarique claimed.

In Yahya-Mujib meeting, held on March 24, they reached to an understanding of forming a national government with 11 ministers.

Tarique again tried to prove that Ziaur Rahman as the ‘proclaimer of independence’ referring to an article written by Zia titled ‘a birth of a nation’.

But, in the article, Zia wrote that Sheikh Mujib was the top leader and pioneer of liberation war.

Tarique repeatedly tried to prove that Zia ‘proclaimed independence’.

Pointing to Awami League, Tarique told that a party repeatedly has been distorting the history. The nation is hearing only a bunch of lies from this party for last 40 years, he said.

Now, time has come to know the true history of the nation, he told the audience.

He alleged that Awami League is using the name of Sheikh Mujib as ‘Lal shalu’ to distort the country’s history.

He again termed Sheikh Hasina as a ‘Wrong headed woman’ and said that this woman gives the people bluff in the name of the sprit of liberation war whenever she faces danger.

In the name of the trial of the war criminals, she has been playing foul play with people, Tarique alleged. But when the question of the trial of her Razakar brother-in-law (daughter’s father-in-law) arises she claimed that he was not a war criminal, Tarique mentioned.

Referring to the present ‘criminal’ activities of Bangladesh Chattra League, Tarique claimed that Sheikh Mujib himself imported ‘arms oriented’ politics.

To give a proof of his claim he narrated a story on the meeting of Anwar Hossain Manju and late Abdur Razzaq with Sheikh Mujib.

Tarique informed that once Anwar Hossain Manju complained to Bangabandhu that the Chattra League followers were being beaten up only, in reply Sheikh Mujib told that this must be countered.

Tarique said, at that time Sheikh Mujib handed over a ‘substance’ to Manju saying that if necessary this must be used. Later, Bangabandhu asked him to keep such ‘object’ inside their vehicle, Tarique added.

Tarique further said that the present Chattra League politics is the continuation of the old practice which had started in its very early stage.

BDST: 1410 HRS, DEC 16, 2014