Zia’s comments on army draw criticism in B’desh
27 March 2013 7:41 AM IST
Bangladesh’s main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has sought army intervention to end the political chaos in the country in the wake of 1971 war crimes trial, drawing sharp criticism from the ruling party and the media which termed the remark as ‘vicious’ and undemocratic.
The ruling Awami League on Tuesday called her comments as ‘vicious’ and said, ‘This is an unprecedented and undemocratic act.’
The Awami League general secretary and local government minister Syed Ashraful Islam’s reaction came two days after Zia told a party rally that the army could not play ‘a silent spectator’ and ‘they will play their due role in proper time if peace remained absent in the country.’
Islam said Zia was playing a ‘vicious role’ to protect the 1971 war criminals who were being tried in special tribunals for ‘crimes against humanity’ for siding with Pakistani troops.
A massive criticism over her remarks prompted BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to clarify her comments, saying she was wrongly quoted in media reports.
‘BNP does not believe in military interference in politics. She (Zia) had said that the country’s armed forces work for peacekeeping (abroad under UN missions), and they will do the same, at appropriate time, for the betterment of the nation.
‘The (Zia’s) message was twisted by some mass media outlets,’ Alamgir told media on Tuesday.
But, his counterpart in the ruling party rejected the clarification saying, major television channels broadcast and newspapers carried identical reports on Zia’s speech.
Awami League’s joint secretary general Mahbubul Alam Hanif said that the opposition leader wanted army as ‘she lost trust in democracy and people’.
The mass circulation Daily Star carried an editorial titled ‘Khaleda Zia’s Army baiting; We register our strong protest’ saying, ‘We are horrified, surprised and somewhat dumfounded by Begum Zia’s tacit invitation to the Army, should the need arise.’
The ruling Awami League on Tuesday called her comments as ‘vicious’ and said, ‘This is an unprecedented and undemocratic act.’
The Awami League general secretary and local government minister Syed Ashraful Islam’s reaction came two days after Zia told a party rally that the army could not play ‘a silent spectator’ and ‘they will play their due role in proper time if peace remained absent in the country.’
Islam said Zia was playing a ‘vicious role’ to protect the 1971 war criminals who were being tried in special tribunals for ‘crimes against humanity’ for siding with Pakistani troops.
A massive criticism over her remarks prompted BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to clarify her comments, saying she was wrongly quoted in media reports.
‘BNP does not believe in military interference in politics. She (Zia) had said that the country’s armed forces work for peacekeeping (abroad under UN missions), and they will do the same, at appropriate time, for the betterment of the nation.
‘The (Zia’s) message was twisted by some mass media outlets,’ Alamgir told media on Tuesday.
But, his counterpart in the ruling party rejected the clarification saying, major television channels broadcast and newspapers carried identical reports on Zia’s speech.
Awami League’s joint secretary general Mahbubul Alam Hanif said that the opposition leader wanted army as ‘she lost trust in democracy and people’.
The mass circulation Daily Star carried an editorial titled ‘Khaleda Zia’s Army baiting; We register our strong protest’ saying, ‘We are horrified, surprised and somewhat dumfounded by Begum Zia’s tacit invitation to the Army, should the need arise.’
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