The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Giving a clarion call for unity of the freedom fighters across the country, two renowned Commanders of the Liberation War in 1971, have termed the One Eleven Changeover a significant and positive development for the country, its people and democracy in the future.

One of the four top leaders of the Sadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad and a Deputy Commander of the Mujib Bahini Central Command, JSD founder General Secretary ASM Abdur Rob and Sub-Sector Commander Maj (retd) Ziauddin, who fought Pakistani occupation forces in Sector no-9, told a gathering of pro-liberation forces in the capital that freedom fighters (FFs) should have to be united again now to launch another struggle to reach the benefits of the great Independence to the common people.

Organised under the auspices of the Shahoshi Muktijodda-Janata Oikya Parishad (Courageous FF and People Council), newly floated body, at the Comrade Moni Singh-Farhad Memorial Trust auditorium in the capital with its Convener Maj Ziauddin in the chair on Monday to mark the 37th anniversary of the Independence Day, the function was attended by a number of former FFs and student leaders as well as political activists of different political parties.

They stressed on the need to unite the freedom fighters for the betterment of the whole nation using the 'golden opportunity' of the One Eleven, which they claimed to have happened through the timely role by country's patriot Armed Forces.

Prominent among them includes-former MP Mohammad Gofran, FF Commanders Abdul Hakim (Bir Pratik) and Mozammel Haque (Bir Pratik), Dr Arifur Rahman, Shamsul Majumder, Abdus Salam Majumder and Mehjamin Rahman, all whom took part either in the War of Liberation or struggles for the restoration of multi-party democracy in the country.

ASM Abdur Rob, also the Convener of Unity for Political Reforms (UPR), was critical of both the major political parties-the BNP and the Awami League (AL) for, what he said, betraying the nation destroying the dreams of martyrs and freedom fighters, who fought for the emancipation of the people shoulder to shoulder with Bangladesh Armed Forces in 1971, through establishing 'family dynasty', misrule and 'corrupt autocracy' after being elected to power by the people repeatedly.

"The AL had established one-party dynastic rule after the liberation, which was fought by the whole nation except the local Rajakars and Al-Badr and their political mentors, after the independence instead of a Revolutionary Government of National Unity," he said, adding the BNP followed by the path shown by its political predecessor (AL) and pushed the country to an all pervasive corruption and crisis.

"The Army-led January 11 (2007) Changeover, which saved the nation from an obvious civil war due to fierce rivalry and squabbles between the BNP and the AL, has laid the foundation for accountable democracy, corruption free society, prosperity and economic freedom of the people once again after 36 years of the liberation," said Rob, who hoisted the National Flag first atop the Dean office of the Arts Building of Dhaka University on March 2, 1971.

Referring to the background of formation of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), the political party launched by the FFs, including guerilla commanders, industrial workers, peasants and student leaders, after the emergence of Bangladesh as a sovereign and independent country on the global map, he urged all irrespective of ideological differences and party affiliations not to ignore the contributions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the late President Ziaur Rahman for the nation's freedom and existence.

''We cannot support the brutal killings of these two national leaders-Sheikh Mujib and Zia," said Rob, who himself fought against the 'misrule and autocracy' of the BNP and AL regimes, reacting sharply when a speaker tried to malign the role of Ziaur in the Liberation War.

Both Rob and Maj Ziauddin, who is former Chairman of the Pirojpur Municipality and an AL leader, strongly expressed their support to the demand placed to this Government by the Sector Commanders' Forum to try the war criminals immediately.

Maj (retd) Ziauddin urged the freedom fighters to be united again to establish 'People Democracy' in the country.