Dhaka Bureau: Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque has demanded to pass a law in the parliament to punish those who speak against the history of independence and the spirit of the liberation war. He made this demand while participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks brought under Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure by the Prime Minister on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the National Parliament on Sunday (April 9).
The Minister of Liberation War said that the opponents of the Liberation War should be punished by the state. To give a safe guard to the country, it is necessary to pass a law to punish those who distort the history of the liberation war and tell lies against the spirit of the liberation war. In a cruel irony of fate, by killing Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975, the assassins not only killed a man, not just an independent parliament, but a nation. The assassins trampled on the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bengal. These events need to be seen. Otherwise, we will stumble again and again.
He said that the killings of August 15, the killing of four national leaders, and the tearing of the constitution were all attempts to erase the spirit of the liberation war from this country. After 23 years of exploitation and deprivation, the killers tried to erase the idea that the country was being run on the basis of the four principles of democracy, socialism, nationalism, and secularism through the liberation war.
The Liberation War Minister also said that a few days ago, a leader of the BNP said that Pakistan was better than the present regime. They said there was no preparation for the great war of liberation. Then the secret documents, which the Prime Minister has compiled, where will they go? During the Pakistan period, Bangabandhu was called anti-Pakistani, the Agartala conspiracy case arose, he was called a separatist, he was repeatedly taken to jail, and these documents are there. They are still Pakistan lovers; the love of Pakistan is not gone from their heads. They want to make the country ineffective by disputing the main goals of the liberation war—democracy, socialism, nationalism, and secularism—and once again introducing Pakistan-style religious politics.
He said Pakistan wanted to maintain a loose confederation during the liberation war. Khuni Mushtaq, Khuni Zia said the war council should fight the liberation war and not fight the liberation war under political government. I have heard that the Law Commission has proposed such a law (to punish opponents of the liberation war). I urge this great parliament to pass this law to keep the nation safe.
Criticizing the BNP, the Liberation War Minister said that they are plotting to turn Bangladesh into a dysfunctional and failed state. It is not only those who are plotting, those who don’t trust this parliament, and many are plotting as the mouthpieces of local and foreign conspirators. As the parliament is the focal point of all activities, here too they try to lie and distort history whenever they get a chance. The sovereignty of this country will be more threatened if laws are not passed to punish those who oppose the liberation war. Since the Prime Minister has prosecuted the murder of Bangabandhu, he can make this law to punish the anti-national and anti-independence people.
