Bangladesh News

Most political parties yesterday hailed the High Court’s verdict that declared that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, not Ziaur Rahman, proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

The main opposition BNP, however, said the belief of millions of people that Zia had declared the country’s independence could not be erased by a judgment of any court.

Talking to The Daily Star, ruling Awami League (AL) Presidium member and Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said, “If you tell a lie ten times to establish it as a truth, it never becomes a truth as it is the truth that finally triumphs.”

In an immediate reaction, she said neither Zia in his lifetime nor the BNP government between 1991 and 1996 claimed that Zia proclaimed independence on March 26.

The AL policymaker said BNP always tells lies and expressed hope that such practice would now come to an end after this verdict.

BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said this is fundamentally an important political issue, which could not be resolved by any judgment of any court.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court should finally settle the issue, he told the news agency UNB.

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad said the judgment is true. “Finally the truth has come out through the judgment,” he told The Daily Star.

Welcoming the verdict, the JP chair said the future generation would come to know about the true history after the judgment.

Workers’ Party President Rashed Khan Menon, also a lawmaker, said the truth has been established through the judgment.

“The debate over proclamation of independence will be stopped after this verdict,” he told The Daily Star, adding, “Our younger generation will now learn the true history.”

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu, also an MP, said there was no need of a court judgment over the issue as people of the country know the truth.

Communist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim said, “None has the authority to distort the truth written in the history regarding Bangabandhu’s contribution.

“It is shame for the nation that we had to go to the court to settle the issue,” he told The Daily Star.