Law Minister Anisul Huq has said that Ziaur Rahman was involved in the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“It is as true as daylight that Ziaur Rahman was involved in the August 15 killings. It was evident that Ziaur Rahman perpetrated the heinous crime,” he said.
He said these while he was talking to reporters at his office in the capital on Thursday.
He said that Ziaur Rahman became chief of army staff within seven days of Bangabandhu’s assassination, deputy chief martial law administrator after three months and became president and chief martial law administrator after six months.
Anisul Huq said, “Now you may ask that when this case was being investigated, why was Ziaur Rahman not made an accused? You know that Ziaur Rahman was killed in 1981. There is no point in accusing someone who is dead. There is no provision in our law for posthumous punishment. We can’t punish someone beyond the law. However, we will present the evidence of Ziaur Rahman's involvement in Bangabandhu assassination before the public.”
The minister also said the government is determined to bring back the convicts in the case who have not yet been captured. Two fugitives are now staying in two countries. “As long as the Awami League exists, the fugitives will be executed by bringing them back from abroad even if there is only one follower of Bangabandhu in Bangladesh,” he added.
About latest update, he said, “If I were to go into detail about the ongoing process, the process would be disrupted. That is why I will just say this that there is no exemption in this matter and we are continuing our efforts to bring the fugitives back.”
Responding to a question from reporters, the law minister said, “Our first target was to end the process of the murder case of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and bring back the fugitives. Then there is the fact that those who were involved in behind the killing conspiracy, the conspirators will be identified and their names will be informed to people all over the country.”
The law minister said if Sheikh Hasina had not become prime minister in 1996, the trial of Bangabandhu killing would not be possible. This trial would not have completed if Sheikh Hasina had not become prime minister in 2009, he added.
