Try 'killer' Ershad
Selina Akhter, mother of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon who was gunned down in 1990 by the armed cadres widely believed to be of the then military dictator HM Ershad, at a commemoration yesterday termed the latter a “killer” and demanded that he be tried.
“The principles that Dr Milon sacrificed his life for have not yet been achieved. General Ershad is still being awarded and used by the government. Milon's soul will not forgive those who reach a compromise with the autocrat,” she told another programme.
Communist Party of Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim seconded her demand.
In response, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim had no direct answer. “A democratic government system has so many limitations. In this system, the government has to face criticism and obstacles at every step,” he said.
In the second programme, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, pointing at Ershad, said it was time to dump the autocratic ruler.
The commemorative meeting was organised by Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) at Dhaka Medical College's Milon Chattar and the second programme, a discussion, by Shaheed Dr Milon Sangsad before Shoparjito Swadhinata at Dhaka University (DU), both marking Dr Milon's 24th death anniversary.
Dr Milon, the then BMA joint secretary, was shot dead near the DU Teacher-Student Centre in a bid to foil the mass upsurge against the autocratic regime of Ershad.
His ultimate sacrifice strengthened the movement and expedited the regime's fall in December 1990 and restoration of democracy.
Jatiya Party Chairman Ershad is currently a special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Selina said Milon sacrificed his life for democracy, but it is a matter of great regret that the political parties rehabilitated Ershad after establishing democracy.
Alluding to Ershad's autocratic regime, Nasim defended holding the January 5 national election which is alleged to be one-sided and which saw over half of the 300 parliamentarians being elected uncontested, saying that otherwise martial law might have been imposed.
Comments