Accused to get state recognition

President Zillur Rahman yesterday said state recognition and honour will be given to all 35 accused and four witnesses in the Agartala conspiracy case for their brave contribution towards the independence of the country.
The president made the remark when a four-member delegation of the accused in the case, state verses Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others filed in early 1968, paid a call on him at Bangabhaban in the city.
Deputy Speaker Col (Retd) Shawkat Ali led the delegation. Other members of the team are Brig Gen (Retd) Khurshid Uddin Ahmed, Col (Retd) Shamsul Alam and Flight Surgeon (Retd) Abdul Jalil.
Zillur said the state honour to the accused in the case should have been made much before for their bravery and as well as historic contribution to building public opinion for the mass upsurge in 1969 and the Great War of Liberation in 1971.
The Deputy Speaker recalled various plots, facts and incidents of this sedition case, lodged by the then Pakistani government against Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 34 others.
In early 60s, Col (Retd) Shawkat said Bangabandhu had sent secret messages to Bangalee officers, serving in Pakistan Armed forces to be united themselves and prepared for an armed struggle as he could realise far ahead that the independence would not be achieved without a war.