Zia country’s first president: Khaleda

Khaleda Zia. Star file photo

After her elder son, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today claimed Ziaur Rahman had proclaimed Bangladesh’s Independence and was the first president of the country.

“When real and true history will be written, it will be mentioned there that Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman was the proclaimer of our independence and the first president at that time,” she said at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital.

Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal organised the meeting to accord reception to freedom fighters.

The organisation also accorded reception to the BNP chief as a freedom fighter. Khaleda was handed over a crest. She also received a crest on behalf of his husband late president Ziaur Rahman.

BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, who has been staying in London since 2008, at a discussion on Tuesday first claimed Ziaur was the first president of Bangladesh because he first proclaimed the country’s independence.

Pointing to Sheikh Hasina government’s giving reception to Bangladesh’s foreign friends in Liberation War, Khaleda today said the way foreigners were given awards seems Bangladeshi people did not take part in the war.

Arguing on behalf of Zia’s being the country’s first president, Khaleda said when none was saying anything in 1971 it was Zia who proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh. “Therefore he was the country’s first president.”