Dhaka: BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Wednesday demanded that the names of 30 lakh martyrs of the 1971 be published in newspapers before going for the trial of their party chief Khaleda Zia for her comments on it.

‘There’s no point in filing any case. First, you [govt] publish the names of 30 lakh martyrs in newspapers after properly counting them.  Then file cases against Khaleda Zia how many you want,’ he told a prayer session and discussion.

Dhaka City unit BNP arranged the programme at BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan in Dhaka marking the 1st anniversary of death of the party chairperson’ s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko.

On Monday, Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi filed the sedition case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Rashed Talukdar in the morning urging the court to issue an arrest warrant against BNP chairperson for her remarks about the number of martyrs during the 1971 Liberation War.

Taking cognizance of the charge under sections 123 (A), 124 (A) and 505 of Bangladesh Penal Code, the court asked Khaleda Zia to appear before it on 3 March.

On 21 December last, Khaleda Zia at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, raised questions about the actual number of Liberation War martyrs saying, ‘There’re controversies over how many freedom fighters were martyred in the Liberation War. There’re also many books and documents on the controversies.

Reacting to the case, Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said a strong protest and hatred will have to be spread across the country. ‘A protest rally against it’ll be held soon, and I hope you’ll make it successful through your participation.’ The BNP leader said their party does not believe in the principle of treating falsehood as patriotism and truth as sedition. ‘The truth is truth, no matter how bitter it is.’

Mentioning that history must be written based on facts, he said there is a song, ‘We won’t forget those of you who have earned the independence of Bangla sacrificing the blood of a sea. This hyperbolic expression makes us inspired. We’re only seven crores people during the Liberation War and now it turned around 17 crores.  If now we all are slaughtered in the Bay of Bengal whether even an inch of the water of the sea will rise, it won’t happen.’

So, he said, what are suitable in songs, stories and poems are unacceptable in history. ‘History must be properly written. So, it’s not a big deal who had said how many lakhs of martyrs. Make public the names of 30 lakh martyrs after properly counting them,’ he asked the government.

The BNP leader said the country should have made a list of the martyrs, no matter whether their number is 30 lakh or 60 lakh. ‘We have to stand beside the family members of the martyrs, and monuments should be made after their names in every area. The state should look after their family members and support them.’

He slammed his party colleagues for what he said remaining silent over the issue, and said they should raise their voice in support of Khaleda’s remarks. ‘I feel bad as I see no one is speaking in support of our leader (Khaleda) and all are tight-lipped in fear of getting implicated in cases.’

Gayeshwar continued: ‘We should think whether we have the quality to do BNP’s politics when we keep mum instead of supporting our leader’s remarks only in fear of facing cases.’

The BNP leader urged his party leaders and activists to be vocal and active on the streets to restore democracy in the country leaving the fear of getting arrested and implicated in cases.

BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, central leaders Fazlul Haq Milon, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Abdus Salam Azad and Abdul Latif Jony were, among others, present at the programme.

At the programme, a munajat was offered seeking eternal peace of Koko’s departed soul.