Ershad is the killer of Ziaur Rahman, claims Khaleda

Staff Correspondent, DHAKA, May 4: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has claimed that Jatiya Party Chairman and special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina HM Ershad is the killer of late President Ziaur Rahman.

“Ershad is the killer of Abul Manzoor and Ziaur Rahman and he must be tried. Why the judgement of Ershad in Manzoor murder case has been deferred. Had it be done to keep him with you?” Khaleda asked the government.

The BNP chief came up with the remarks while addressing the party’s nationwide 8-hour mass hunger strike programme on the National Press Club premises today.

The former prime minister threatened strong movements against the government if it fails to stop repressive acts and ‘growing incidents’ of extrajudicial killings and abductions.

 “Not only Narayanganj, today, the entire country has become a valley of the dead. Our movements won’t be confined to hunger strikes and forming human chains. We will enforce strong movements against the illegal government, if the extrajudicial killings, abductions and disappearances continue,” she said.   

Khaleda alleged that the Awami League men are behind the heinous acts of abductions and killings. “The flood of blood will keep on flowing as long as this illegal government will remain in power,” she added.

Referring to the killings of seven people after their abduction in Narayanganj, Khaleda said, “Where is Nur Hossain, he is a criminal, people want to see him in jail. Why had there been a raid on his home seven days after the abduction of so many people.”

She urged people to put up a strong resistance against this ‘killer regime’ wiping out their eyes.

“I call upon all the citizens, including professionals, civil society members and political parties to take to the streets with BNP to restore democracy, save the country and stop killings, forced disappearances and abductions,” she said.

Demanding a fresh election under a neutral administration, Khaleda Zia said, “They must announce a fresh election. Forget the dream of hanging onto power for five years. The current regime is illegal …it’s not the representative of people, as it is not elected by people. You’ve already done a huge damage to the country and taken it much backward. Don’t harm the country anymore.”

The mass hunger strike began on Sunday morning to register its protest against the government’s repressive acts and ‘growing incidents’ of extrajudicial killing and abduction.

Senior BNP leaders, including its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were present at the programme.

The programme was also held in all upazilas, district towns and divisional cities simultaneously.

risingbd/Reza/Augustin Sujan