Uproar over freedom fighter remark in parliament

Parliament on Tuesday witnessed heated exchanges after BNP lawmaker Fazlur Rahman (Kishoreganj-4) remarked that no family member of freedom fighters should join the politics of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

“The Leader of the Opposition said that he is from the family of freedom fighters, from the family of martyrs, and he is a man of Jamaat-e-Islami.

This is a double crime. No one from the family of freedom fighters can join Jamaat,” Fazlur Rahman said while taking part in the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President’s speech.

His remarks triggered strong protests from opposition lawmakers, creating a tense situation in the House and interrupting his speech for several minutes.

Some treasury bench members, however, were seen supporting Fazlur Rahman — himself a freedom fighter — urging him to continue and asking opposition MPs to return to their seats.

At one stage, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad intervened and asked both treasury and opposition members to maintain discipline.

“When the Speaker stands, it becomes the duty of Members of Parliament to take their respective seats and listen attentively,” he said, urging opposition members to allow Fazlur Rahman to complete his speech.

The Speaker added that if opposition members wished, they would have ample time to present counterarguments and refute his remarks.

He also reminded lawmakers that the proceedings were being broadcast live and the entire nation was watching Parliament’s conduct.

During his speech, Fazlur Rahman criticised what he described as attempts to compare the 1971 Liberation War and freedom fighters with the July-August movement and its participants, saying such comparisons were unfair.

Drawing a sharp contrast, he said equating the Liberation War with the August movement was like “comparing the Pacific Ocean with a well”.

The BNP MP strongly defended the historical narrative of the Liberation War, rejecting any attempt to undermine the sacrifice of three million martyrs, and launched strong criticism against Jamaat and its politics.

At one point, he said, “They (the predecessors of current Jamaat leaders) could have killed our leader Ziaur Rahman if they had found him before December 16 in 1971.”

However, the veteran politician said he respected those who sacrificed their lives during the August movement and prayed for the salvation of their departed souls.

Referring to Jamaat’s campaign before the last general election, he said the party had claimed it would secure a two-thirds majority.

“At that time, I said I would take poison if they were able to secure a two-thirds majority.

They can never win the political battle because their predecessors did not want Bangladesh’s independence,” he said.

Fazlur Rahman also said he did not intend to disrespect the Leader of the Opposition, but claimed that some people from that side referred to him as “Foza Pagla” to undermine him.

In response, the Speaker said no such words had been uttered inside Parliament and questioned why he had raised the matter there.

The uproar intensified when Fazlur Rahman repeated his remarks that no family member of freedom fighters should join Jamaat politics, drawing loud protests from Jamaat lawmakers and their allies, including members of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish.

However, National Citizen Party (NCP) MPs present in the House remained seated during the confrontation.

Some treasury bench members also stood up amid the commotion, while several ministers, including Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, were seen urging members to remain calm.

Later, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman said Fazlur Rahman had personally hurt him and had no right to undermine others’ contributions while highlighting his own role in the Liberation War.

“He said that no freedom fighter or anyone from the family of a martyred freedom fighter can join Jamaat. Do we need to ask him for permission? I strongly condemn it,” said the Jamaat chief.

He said Fazlur Rahman had questioned both his identity and his ideological choice, calling it a serious offence, and requested the Speaker to expunge what he described as “unparliamentary words” from the BNP lawmaker’s speech.

Later, when Fazlur Rahman sought to speak again, the Speaker declined to give him the floor, saying he did not want the House to become heated once more.

He added that any unparliamentary remarks made by either Fazlur Rahman or the opposition leader would be reviewed and expunged if necessary.
Earlier in his

speech, Fazlur Rahman also referred to the issue of immunity over post-August 5 violence and the looting of police stations.

He stressed the need for investigations into police killings and the looting of police stations after August 5, 2024.