Razzak's life paralleled country's history

Awami League leader and Liberation War organiser Abdur Razzak had made sacrifices time and again for different democratic movements and the country's independence, a commemorative meeting was told at Dhaka University yesterday.

His political colleagues discussed the life of the freedom fighter on the 4th anniversary of his death.

The meeting was organised by Razzak Smriti Sangsad at TSC.

While AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam highlighted Razzak's illustrious role in 1971, party lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta called for opening a research centre on Abdur Razzak since he said Razzak's life and history of political movements of Bangladesh was almost same.  Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said Razzak was vocal for the trials of war criminals with the pioneer of the campaign, Jahanara Imam.

"After the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975, he stood against Khandaker Mushtaq's government and military junta. He never compromised with them," he said.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said Razzak was an industrious and ideal leader who was well mannered and admired by the leaders and activists of all parties.

Criticising the comment of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, he said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman never wanted to be the president of Pakistan -- it was evident in his March 7 speech. 

Other Leaders including AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif also criticised Khaleda for her comments questioning the number of martyrs in the country's Liberation War.

Khaleda, through her comments, reiterated what Pakistan and anti-liberation force have been claiming about the 1971 martyrs and proved herself as a "Pakistani agent', he said, demanding an apology from Khaleda.

The BNP chief, in her first public address in more than a year on Monday, said, "There are controversies over how many people were martyred in the Liberation War. There are also many books and documents on the controversies."

President of Bangladesh Chhatra League Saifur Rahman Sohag, Vice Chancellor of Noakhali Science and Technology University Prof M Wahiduzzaman, and AL leader Mozaffar Hossain Poltu also spoke.

Abdur Razzak, also a former minister, died at 69, in London on December 23, 2011.