BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan on Sunday said martyred President Ziaur Rahman gave Bangladesh a new shape in just three and a half years of state leadership, something that could not be achieved in the following 45-year.
He made this remark while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled “What Freedom Fighters Can Do in Nation Building” at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in Kakrail.
The discussion meeting was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist Freedom Fighters Party and the Generation of Liberation War, marking the 45th martyrdom anniversary of ex-President Ziaur Rahman.
Moyeen raised questions about Ziaur Rahman’s role in the declaration of independence in 1971.
“Was the declaration of independence made by Ziaur Rahman in 1971 an immediate decision, or had he been carrying that thought for a long time?” he asked.
He said: “There is a need for historical research into Ziaur Rahman’s role and thinking regarding the declaration of independence.”
According to Moyeen Khan, no full-fledged research institute focusing on Ziaur Rahman has yet been established in the country, which he described as a long-standing gap.
He expressed hope that the government would take necessary steps to establish such an institution in near future.
Although Ziaur Rahman’s tenure in office was brief, he introduced significant changes in the country’s administration and economy, he noted.
Moyeen added that Ziaur Rahman’s declaration of independence and his role in the Liberation War were integral parts of Bangladesh’s history.
He claimed that even while serving in Karachi, Ziaur Rahman used to discuss the political situation in then East Pakistan and the deprivation faced by its people.
Referring to the political changes after 1975, Moyeen said Ziaur Rahman was later-on entrusted with the responsibility of running the country and played a significant role in putting Bangladesh on the path of sustainable development through administrative efficiency and economic reforms.
The country was able to overcome various challenges during that period through improved food supply management and better administrative coordination, he added.
