Govt doesn’t have 1975-81 coups info: Minister tells JS
Govt doesn’t have 1975-81 coups info: Minister tells JS
The government does not have concrete information regarding the coups that took place in the Bangladesh Army during 1975-’81, road transport and bridges minister told the parliament today.
Ruling Awami League lawmaker AKM Jahangir Hossain, who placed the concerned question, expressed dissatisfaction at the ministry’s failure to provide the information.
“The minister’s answer is dissatisfactory. People have the right to know how many army officers and soldiers were killed during a number of coups between 1975 and 1981,” he said.
“We heard several thousand people were killed during and after the coups in the hands of Ziaur Rahman. Many air force officers were hanged in the name of containing revolt.”
“We have the right to get clear information in this regard,” Jahangir said while placing a supplementary question to the concerned minister.
After the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, Khandaker Mostaque Ahmed seized state power before being run over by BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
An army officer, Ziaur Rahman seized power through an ‘uprising’ in the military. Later, he founded Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP.
Today, MP Jahangir categorically wanted to know how much time the government needs to come up with detail information on coups in the Armed Forces.
In reply, Road Transportation and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said coups in the army took place during a period when there was no democratic government in the ruling.
Syed Ashraful Islam is in charge of the defense ministry’s parliamentary affairs. Yesterday, Obaidul Quader gave proxy reply in absence of Syed Ashraf.
Quader today said the rulers during those periods did not keep any record on the coups. “That is why the government has no information on the coups.”
“Truth will reveal itself someday,” the minister said.
On the numerous killing and hanging of army men, Quader said he heard that BNP founder Ziaur Rahman spent an entire night signing the execution papers without sleep.
Regarding the coup in Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force during that time, Syed Ashraful Islam, in a scripted reply, said no coup took place in these two forces.
He, however, said a Navy official was killed in a local revolt on Nov 2, 1975. Besides, 11 unarmed air force officials were also killed in a local revolt on Oct 2, 1977.