Communal forces become active in August: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the communal forces get active here in every August, the month of mourning when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members was killed in 1975.

“The communal forces become active in every August. There is an ache of losses and we also fear to lose in this month,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a month-long art exhibition in Dhaka.

The AL general secretary urged all, including Jubo League leaders and activists, to remain alert against the communal forces so that they could not create any unwanted situation in the country.

Awami Jubo League arranged the exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy auditorium, marking the 44th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said even women and children could not escape the August 15 carnage.

“A political party made the Indemnity Ordinance so the people involved in the August 15 killings could be rewarded and rehabilitated, and they could not be brought to justice,” he said.

The AL general secretary said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman not only rehabilitated and awarded the killers of Bangabandhu but also promulgated the Indemnity Ordinance to give them immunity from legal action.

“We know who were behind the killing of Bangabandhu. The people who killed Bangabandhu and those who patronised the killers are guilty equally,” he added.

Quader said it is difficult for the AL to build relations with those who celebrate birthday by cutting cakes on the mourning day.

“Despite the August 15 tragedy, we wanted to keep ties with different political parties in the greater interest of democracy and good governance. But, how could we keep relations with those who celebrate birthday on the mourning day, adding to our internal breeding?” he said.

Jubo League chairman Mohammad Omar Faruque and its general secretary Harunur Rashid, among others, spoke.