Ziaur Rahman declared independence on Behalf of Bangabandhu: Kader Siddique

Krisak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique has said that former president Ziaur Rahman was the announcer of Bangladesh’s independence during the Liberation War, but the declaration was made on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He made the remarks while speaking at a recent television talk show.

Kader Siddique said neither Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman nor Ziaur Rahman could be erased from the country’s history, describing both as integral figures in Bangladesh’s political and liberation history.

He also said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would not have existed without the Liberation War, while the Awami League had led the struggle for independence.

Therefore, according to him, both political parties have the moral right to speak about the Liberation War.

The veteran freedom fighter further alleged that many political leaders had attempted to diminish Ziaur Rahman’s role in history.

“Ziaur Rahman is not someone who can be made small. He is a legendary figure of the Liberation War,” he said.

Kader Siddique stated that Ziaur Rahman was the sole announcer of independence during the war, but clarified that the declaration was delivered on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, adding that Ziaur Rahman did not have the authority or circumstances at the time to declare independence on his own initiative.

He added that just as Ziaur Rahman cannot be erased from history, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also cannot be removed “even in a thousand years.”

During the discussion, Kader Siddiquee also referred to several other historic political figures of Bengal, including Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, A K Fazlul Huq and Shamsul Huq, saying their contributions also remain impossible to erase from history.