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Registers protest with Pakistani envoy; video claimed Bangladesh's military ruler Ziaur Rahman announced...
News Desk November 01, 2017
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (left) and Ziaur Rahman. PHOTO: File
Bangladesh has sought an apology from Pakistan over the latter's envoy in Dhaka posting a "misleading" video on Facebook that claimed that the country's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not the one who declared its independence in 1971.
The 14-minute video was posted on a Facebook page called Pakistan Affairs, BBC Urdu reported.
It was claimed in the video that Bangladesh's military ruler and subsequent president Ziaur Rahman, not Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, announced Bangladesh's independence.
It was also claimed that Sheikh Mujib did not want Bangladesh's independence and only sought autonomy for the Bengali-majority East Pakistan.
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Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Secretary (Bilateral and Consular) Kamrul Ahsan summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Rafiuzzaman Siddiqui on Tuesday to register the country's protest.
The Bangladesh Foreign Office issued a statement that the Pakistani envoy to Dhaka was handed over a "strongly worded protest note" warning that repeated breaches of diplomatic norms by Pakistan would only harm bilateral relations, Hindustan Times reported.
"The Government of Bangladesh seeks a formal note of apology for this ill-motivated and misleading video post and calls for an immediate withdrawal of the footage from the Facebook page reportedly maintained by the Pakistan high commission in Dhaka," it read.
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"The message conveyed in the video that it is not the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who declared independence of Bangladesh is a blatant lie and sheer fabrication of historical facts".
"Nothing can be farthest from the truth than claiming that the architect of independent Bangladesh and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not want Bangladesh's independence or that Bangladesh's independence was declared by anybody other than the great leader himself."
Ahsan said Siddiqui "apologised" and said the incident was "unintentional".
The video has reportedly been removed from the page.
Anwar | 4 years ago | Reply @chengez k: Where did you ever get that idea? Ironically, the Bangladesh Army were the ones who wanted Bangladesh to still have ties to Pakistan. Afterall, most people in East Pakistan believed that they would become an autonomous province of Pakistan and not become an independent country. This was at least the view of the East Pakistan Rifles at the time. After 1971, the East Pakistan Rifles essentially became the Bangladesh Army, but many of its generals were not exactly on Mujib's page. While he was too busy making the country an Indian vassal state, the Bangladesh Army was urging him to maintain ties with Pakistan to prevent an Indian "cultural and economic" invasion of Bangladesh. In 1975 the Bangladesh Army had enough and stepped in. They chose the day August 15 on purpose (India's independence day). Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad become President and wrestled Bangladesh away from prying Indian hands and back towards its neutral stand whereby they kept a working relationship with both India and Pakistan.
neat | 4 years ago | Reply Cry as they will, Bangladesh was created because of power struggle between Bhutto sb and Sh Mujeeb. Indra Gandhi reaped the fruits of treachery
Jade | 4 years ago | Reply Who ever declared independence, it is done and dusted. Bangladesh is an independent country and a mere movie clip should not be threatening its existence. Hue and cry by the Bangladeshi government has only opened up new rounds of discussions and many unwanted things will be unearthed.
chengez k | 4 years ago | Reply Poor Sheikh Mujeeb & family was slaughtered after he tried to come close to Pakistan after 1974 Islamic summit....See how he raised slogans of Pakistan Zindabad in Shalimar Gardens in the Islamic summitin 1974
Khaja | 4 years ago | Reply Mujib did not formally declared the independence although in his March 7, 1971 he mentioned that "Our current struggle is the struggle for freedom". Major Ziaur Rahman declared "independence of Bangladesh" on March 27 on behalf of Mujib ur Rahman in Chittagong.
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