Mirza Fakhrul defends Khaleda's remarks about number of martyrs

BNP chief Khaleda Zia's remarks on the number of martyrs during the 1971 Liberation War were "contextually correct", party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed yesterday, without elaborating his statement.

''Awami League leaders and activists distorted Khaleda Zia's comments on the number of the 1971 martyrs to keep her off politics," he told a seminar on the "violation of the constitution", organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist British Law Students' Alliance in the capital's Supreme Court auditorium.

Criticising the ruling party leaders for calling Khaleda an associate of the Pakistan army, he said people falsely accused others when they failed to defend themselves.

Pointing to the "false" cases and remarks against Khaleda, he said AL's activities proved that the party had become politically bankrupt.

On December 21, Khaleda, in her first public address in more than a year, said, "There are controversies over how many were martyred in the Liberation War." Her comments drew widespread criticism, while many slammed her as an "agent of Pakistan" and demanded that she leave Bangladesh. She was also sued for sedition.

Without giving any time period, Fakhrul said more than 600 people were killed extra judicially, 460 fell victim to forced disappearance, and around 17,000 cases were filed against BNP workers. Last year, 4.6 lakh BNP leaders and activists were accused, he added.    

Fakhrul claimed that democracy was under threat, and requested the government to hold an election after talking to BNP.