Dhaka: Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury on Sunday sharply criticised the countries that have given shelter to the convicted killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman terming their stance double standard.

‘The trial of Bangabandhu murder case has been completed, but all the killers are yet to be hanged…they’re hiding in different countries, she said.

Matia, also the presidium member of the ruling party, said this while addressing a pre-mourning procession rally organised by Awami League Dhaka city unit marking the 40th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the Institute of Engineers in the city.

Later, a mourning procession was brought out carrying black flags and it terminated at Dhanmondi-32 after parading major streets of the capital.

Matia said, ‘I would like to say the countries that have given shelter to the Bangabandhu killers what would you have done had the killers of the President or the Prime Minister of your country taken shelter in Bangladesh? Did you sit idle?’

She went on saying, ‘Then would you utter the words human rights and democracy? You would have rather destroyed the people of the Bengal by carrying out drone attacks… It is double standard.’

‘Neither the trial of Bangabandhu’s killers nor that of war criminals had taken place if Sheikh Hasina would not have returned home in 1981,’ Matia said.

Awami League presidium member Sahara Khatun and joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, among others spoke at the programme held with city AL acting president MA Aziz in the chair.