Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin termed the allegation of slow poisoning Sheikh Hasina a nasty slander and a deliberate attempt of some political leaders and their associates to gain political ground.
“It is very shocking to be accused of attempting on someone’s life,” said Matin on allegations of slow poisoning Sheikh Hasina when she was detained.
Matin, former adviser to the last caretaker government, said, “Those spreading the nasty slander are showing their meanness and lowliness. It would have been better to be thrown into confinement instead of being at the receiving end of such false allegations.”
He called upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to arrange an immediate fair and impartial probe into the matter so that the truth is revealed.
Matin said this while talking to The Daily Star yesterday during an interview at his Panchlaish residence in Chittagong regarding allegations of slow poisoning Hasina brought against him. He was home, shipping and liberation war affairs adviser to the caretaker government when Hasina was in detention.
Prime minister’s health adviser Friday implicated Matin along with a number of high-profile persons of the last caretaker government of slow poisoning Hasina during her detention.
Matin said, “The allegation is completely false. It is a statement made to serve political purpose.”
“Through you [the media] I register strong protest against it and request the prime minister to make arrangement for an immediate probe into the matter by a high-level enquiry court to get at the truth,” said Matin.
“As the prime minister herself is the alleged victim, ministries concerned may take the probe initiatives with her approval,” he said.
He emphasised the need for the probe to be fair and impartial.
Special arrangements were made to ensure the two leaders’ (Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia) security and safety in the sub-jail, he said.
All the intelligence agencies like DGFI, National Security Intelligence, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Special Branch of Police, and Rapid Action Battalion were involved in the security measures, he added.
There were two doctors from the ministry of health to examine all their food the two leaders were served those.
“So I do not think there was any scope for any outsider [to infiltrate and mix poison in food],” he said.
“The DIG prisons along with others concerned visited the sub-jail on several occasions… and enquired about their health. If the leaders had any problems they would have told me. But I never had complaints of any sorts from them.
“We were always concerned about the two leaders’ health and security,” he said.
“When madam [Sheikh Hasina] went to Square Hospital, we, on instruction of the chief adviser, called in the inspector general of police (IGP) and other high officials to personally ensure special security for her.
“No slow poisoning was reported even from Square Hospital and neither did madam complain of such problem,” he said.
Asked about allegations of not allowing Prof Sayed Modasser Ali, health adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to collect blood sample from Hasina for medical tests during her detention, Matin said nobody ever came to him requesting such permissions.
“We are hearing about allegations of slow poisoning only for the last few days,” Matin said.
He said he does not think that these allegations have been brought to justify a bid to abolish the caretaker government system.
He said he did not make any request to become an adviser. The armed forces called them out of their homes and asked them to take charge. “Had we refused, imposition of martial law would have been a certain thing as there was no alternative to that [help form the caretaker government and avoid imposition of martial law] then,” he observed.
On making lists of political leaders and arresting them in graft charges, he said it was taken care of by the intelligence agencies, particularly the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
In this regard he specially mentioned the names of the then DGFI Director General Maj Gen Golam Mohammad (now serving as the GOC of Comilla Cantonment) and Maj Gen (retd) ATM Amin and Brig Gen Chowdhury Fazlul Bari (posted to the Bangladesh Mission in Washington DC during the caretaker government’s rule and now being considered as a fugitive by military authorities). These people were holding key posts at the DGFI at that time.
Categories: Bangla, Bangladesh, Bangladesh News, Bangladesh Politics, Daily Bangladesh News, News, Politics
