'Where were you in 71?' ruling party MP asks opposition in parliament

Ruling party MP Zainul Abedin Faruk has questioned the opposition in parliament, asking where they were during the 1971 Liberation War.

Responding to opposition criticism during the budget discussion in the 16th sitting of the 13th National Parliament's second session on Saturday, June 27, Faruk said he did not want to heat up the parliament but posed the question: "Judge yourselves, where were you in 71?"

He said the government would respond to opposition criticism, but it should be constructive and help in nation-building.

"We will cooperate with you, you will also cooperate with us. Today we are in government, one day you will come — that is the rule of democracy. But criticism must be democratic," he said.

Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami MP Shahjahan Chowdhury's speech, he said he did not want to heat up the parliament by raising debates over Islam. "I just want to say one thing — judge yourselves, where were you in 71?"

He then mentioned the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Mirpur, asking who organised the killings on the eve of independence and who wanted to make Bangladesh intellectually barren.

Recalling his own Liberation War experience, Faruk said he left university to join the war after hearing the call for independence from Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. He was not a member of any political party at the time.

He also demanded an increase in allowances for freedom fighters. "The July uprising martyrs and injured must be remembered, but the contribution of the 1971 Liberation War cannot be forgotten," he said. Addressing the finance minister, he said, "At least increase the allowance for freedom fighters. This will strengthen the respect for those who fought for the country's independence."

He urged the opposition to engage in positive, history-based discussions and work together in the national interest without unnecessarily heating up the parliament.