Rashid's misleading interview
This is with reference to the 1st part of the interview by Bangabandhu's killer Col. (dismissed) Rashid, telecast on a private TV channel and published in The Daily Star on November 08, 2007.
Out of many baseless and contradictory statements, I want to bring to your notice one confusing and misleading piece of information, that both he and Lt. Col. (dismissed) Faruk, another killer, 'joined' the Liberation War in November and December respectively (and hence they are freedom fighters). The fact is that not all the Bangladesh Army officers in 1971 were freedom fighters.
Since the creation of Pakistan, West-Pakistanis (military) mainly the Punjabis looked down upon the Bengalis as the 'darker', 'non-martial', 'inferior race'! This attitude significantly increased in 1969 ('Agartala conspiracy case', anti-Ayub mass movement) and reached its zenith during 1971 genocide. Bengali military personnel and civilians in West Pakistan were virtually relieved of active duties and were put under watch, following the developments in East Pakistan.
As a full-scale war against India-Bangladesh became inevitable and imminent, the Pakistani military planners allowed some of their agents to 'defect' to Bangladesh. Both Rashid and Faruk belong to this category.
One can safely guess that in his coming interview, Rashid will use the 'freedom fighter' facade to justify their most heinous crimes.
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