State minister credits BNP for 1971, 1990 and 2024 in parliament; opposition seeks expunction for ‘false' claims

Chief adviser of the immediate past interim government, Dr Muhammad Yunus had travelled to London to hand over the “trophy” of the 2024 July–August movement to Tarique Rahman and return with an election date, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam said today.

He made the remarks while participating in the thanksgiving motion on the president’s speech in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The state minister claimed that the “trophies” of three major political movements in the country -- the 1971 Liberation War, the 1990 mass uprising and the July–August 2024 uprising -- belong to the BNP.

“All three trophies are in our house. Only BNP can showcase such trophies. Awami League can claim 1971 and 1990, but not July–August. The opposition can claim July–August, but not 1971 and 1990,” he said.

His remarks drew protests from opposition MPs.

Mir Shahe Alam continued: “Opposition MPs may shout. They can talk about 1990. But in 1986, they joined Awami League’s election with fanfare, not us.”

As protests intensified, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad intervened, asking members not to obstruct proceedings and to present their arguments in due course.

Resuming his speech, the minister said: “In the July–August movement, we were all with the students and people. We did not take the trophy from anyone. But who was the captain? That is known to Dr Muhammad Yunus. That is why he went to London, handed the trophy to our captain, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and came back with the election date.”

“This proves which party and which leader played the leading role in the movement. There can be many participants, but only one captain,” he added.

Addressing Speaker Hafiz Uddin, Mir Shahe Alam further said: “Seeing you here, some may be pleased, some may not. But you represent 1971. That credit goes to BNP, because independence was declared by President Ziaur Rahman.”

The state minister pointed to the presence of freedom fighters on the treasury benches and claimed none were on the opposition side, prompting renewed protests.

The speaker responded by noting that freedom fighters were also present on the opposition benches, citing Gazi Nazrul Islam as an example.

Mir Shahe Alam also referred to Khaleda Zia, saying that during her 2001 government she had honoured opposition MPs by providing them cars with flags and indemnity.

He stressed that the current parliament was the outcome of collective political struggles.

“We fought, you fought. But after 2014, you disappeared midway. We were together in the four-party alliance and the 20-party alliance for long. We know each other well. We held meetings, rallies, struggles together. But for some unknown reason, you vanished after July–August and now try to mislead the nation by clinging only to July–August, as if 1971 and 1990 never happened.”

He also said that in the 2018 election, under the banner of Jatiya Oikya Front, the current opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman and Jamaat leaders had contested using BNP’s sheaf of paddy symbol.

Following his speech, Shafiqur took the floor, saying: “We pledged from day one that this opposition will not be conventional. We will cooperate in all just causes and will uncompromisingly oppose all unjust, anti-people measures. But today, while thanking the president, the honourable member has overwhelmed us with countless falsehoods.”

“Some of these you yourself corrected. We demand that no false information be presented in parliament. We demand expunging of false information,” he added, addressing the speaker.

In response, the speaker said: “I will examine the speech. If there is any unparliamentary or false information, it will be expunged.”