Dhaka Bureau: An organization called ‘Mayer Kanna’ has demanded the removal of the grave of former military ruler Ziaur Rahman from Sangsad Bhavan area Chandrima Udyan.
In a human chain held at Chandrima Udyan on Tuesday (October 8), the organization said that if Ziaur Rahman’s grave is not removed from the Sangsad Bhavan area of Chandrima Udyan, they will take the initiative to remove this grave themselves.
Ziaur Rahman’s family has also demanded a posthumous trial for the hanging of army and air force members on October 2, 1977 in human chains. Otherwise, they are warned to remove themselves.
They said that at that time, in the name of suppressing the rebellion, about one and a half thousand members of the military forces were unjustly given various punishments including hanging. This is a shameful event in history. Relatives of army and air force members mentioned that Ziaur Rahman carried out this murder to consolidate his power.
The relatives said that Ziaur Rahman started the execution by calling someone from home, without giving anyone a chance to defend himself. First of all, the freedom fighters were selectively executed. The wives and children of those who were executed expressed their anger because the graves of their relatives were not found after so long. Relatives of Ziaur Rahman demanded a posthumous trial for the murder of her husband and father in addition to the trial of the murder of her husband and father to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Relatives of those who were executed said that in the name of suppressing the so-called rebellion, Ziaur Rahman tried in a one-day military court and hanged him that night in Dhaka, Comilla, Chittagong, Rangpur, Jessore and Bogra Central Jails. Executions were carried out under curfew in the dark of night. The bodies were buried in Azimpur graveyard in Dhaka and Tikkacharchar graveyard in Comilla without any religious cremation. The names and identities of 193 people who were hanged in the alleged trial of the special military tribunal formed on the orders of military ruler General Ziaur Rahman were found. But due to that incident, the number of dead was 1 thousand 143 people, as well as 2500 members of army and air force were imprisoned.
Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, who was present at the human chain, said, “Ziaur Rahman worked as a spy for Pakistan in the liberation war.” Zia originally went to India as a spy for Pakistan. Because of that, whenever he got the opportunity, he brutally killed the freedom fighters on the orders of the Pakistanis. He killed many people in the name of justice.
He said that no one has the right to do politics under the banner of the party that Zia built. There is no difference between Jamaat and BNP. These two groups are known as anti-independence organizations. He demanded to abolish BNP.
Member of Parliament Nahida Izahar Khan, daughter of the deceased Colonel Nazmul Huda, said, ’47 years ago, Zia brutally killed our father. A murderer’s body cannot remain in a hallowed precinct like Parliament House. The graves of all war criminals including Zia should be removed from here. Besides, he strongly demanded the government to provide financial assistance to the victims.
Also present in the human chain were brave freedom fighter Major General Helal Morshed Khan Bir Bikram, Mahjabin Khaled, daughter of martyred Major General Khaled Musharraf, who accepted the teaching of mass hanging in 1977 and children and family members of Air Force members.
