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Tarique again rants against Bangabandhu in London

Staff Correspondent
In a fresh bid to disparage the father of the nation, BNP's Tarique Rahman has claimed that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman willingly surrendered to the Pakistani army on the night of March 25, 1971 when it started genocide, while Ziaur Rahman tookup arms.
He also said the Awami League, which was founded in 1949, got the opportunity to get involved in politics in Bangladesh for Zia, his father.
Tarique made the comments at a discussion marking the party's 36th founding anniversary at Atrium Banquet Hall in London on Monday.
During his 75-minute speech, he launched into a diatribe against Bangabandhu and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He mostly gave lessons of "history" to the party people to demean Bangabandhu, and at the same time, glorify Zia's role in 1971 and in post-1975 Bangladesh.
Tarique, who is accused in 16 criminal cases at home and has been living in London since 2008, again called Zia the first proclaimer of independence and first elected president of the country.
Democracy has been established in Bangladesh by Zia, he said, adding that it was his father who gave back the freedom of media and journalists. “Leaders like him [Zia] who was successful in
every aspect are rare in the word's history."
Tarique said, "The people who were directly or indirectly involved in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or failed to protect him have made Ziaur Rahman the target of propaganda and are distorting history due to his huge acceptability and popularity.”
He claimed that Zia did not declare martial law but rather withdrew it after being president.
He said Khandaker Mustaque Ahmed, not his father, promulgated the Indemnity Ordinance on September 26, 1975 to provide indemnity to the killers of Bangabandhu.
Zia also did not repeal the Collaborators Act; it was done by then president Justice ASM Sayem on December 31, 1975, said the BNP senior vice chairman.
Saying that Mustaque and Sayem were presidents between August 15, 1975 and April 21, 1977, when Zia became president, Tarique noted that had Zia wanted to grab power he would not have to wait that long.
He explained the role of Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu and Civil Aviation and Tourism Affairs Minister Rashed Khan Menon after Bangabandhu's assassination on August 15,1975.
Calling Hasina an "illegal prime minister", Tarique demanded quizzing of Hasina over the August 21 grenade attack in 2004 when an assassination attempt was made on her.
He also said Zia was opposed to political parties based on religion.
Defending himself against the allegations of distorting history, Tarique said he was not manufacturing new history, but rather he was presenting facts.