Minister alleges plot to destabilise government

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Sunday alleged that forces opposed to Bangladesh’s Liberation War and elements linked to the “fascist force” that fled the country have joined together in an attempt to destabilise the nation and remove the government from power.

Speaking at a discussion titled “The Role of Freedom Fighters in Rebuilding the State” at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in the capital, the minister said various groups have been trying to generate unrest despite the government’s relatively short period in office.

The event was organised by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal and Muktijuddher Projonmo to mark the 45th martyrdom anniversary of former president Ziaur Rahman.

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan attended as chief guest.

Ahmed Azam Khan said some groups were making what he described as irresponsible remarks and organising demonstrations in different places to create disorder.

“They are making irresponsible statements and staging protests in different places to create disorder.

But can anyone show a single example of corruption by this government in its first 110-111 days? The answer is no,” he said.

The minister said the administration, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is working to rebuild the country in line with the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideals of Ziaur Rahman.

He urged freedom fighters to support government efforts aimed at strengthening national institutions and the economy.

He said the government’s objective is to establish a strong and sustainable economy within the next five years and appealed to citizens to cooperate with the administration during the process.

“We want to work together with people to ensure that Bangladesh stands firmly on a strong economic foundation before the world,” he said.

Referring to the role of former president Ziaur Rahman, Ahmed Azam Khan said he not only declared Bangladesh’s independence but also fought in the Liberation War and later restored multiparty democracy after assuming state power.

“He brought Bangladesh back from military rule and one-party governance to a multiparty democratic system.

He reopened newspapers that had been shut down and restored democratic rights of people,” the minister said.

He also said the Liberation War Affairs Ministry has undertaken various projects to ensure that freedom fighters receive their entitled benefits.

The minister added that he recently visited Chattogram to inspect Liberation War-related facilities and restoration works that, he claimed, had been neglected during the previous government’s tenure.

Speaking at the programme, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain, who is also president of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijuddher Projonmo, alleged that individuals who neither fought in the Liberation War nor were old enough to participate in 1971 had been included in the official freedom fighter list during the Awami League government’s tenure.

“Perhaps the fascist Awami League achieved its political objectives by including such people in the freedom fighter list, but in doing so it took genuine freedom fighters to the extreme point of humiliation and insult,” he said.

Ishraque said the inclusion of a large number of ineligible individuals over the past 17 years had undermined the honour and status of freedom fighters.

He noted that the government has already started correcting the list and that around 6,000 ineligible individuals have so far been removed from the freedom fighter registry.

According to the state minister, the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council carries out verification and scrutiny before forwarding recommendations to the ministry, which then sends them to the relevant authorities for implementation.

The programme was chaired by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal President Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat.