Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, "Killer Moshtaque was a traitor and Zia was his collaborator. They didn't only kill Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, but also destroyed the spirits of the independence of Bangladesh."

She made the remark while speaking as the chief guest at a reunion rally organised in observance of the 42nd founding anniversary of Awami Jubo League, the youth front of the ruling party, at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Saturday afternoon.  

Sheikh Hasina said: "Killer Moshtaque-Zia did not only kill the Father of the Nation on August 15, 1975, but also tried to foil the spirits of the independence. It was the most unfortunate incident in the history of Bangladesh."

The Prime Minister said, "This Moshtaque was with us. He was with Bangabandhu and there is no doubt about it. Killer Moshtaque was a traitor and Zia was his collaborator."

Sheikh Hasina said, "Those who killed the Father of the Nation on August 15, they were sent to the Dhaka Central Jail to kill the detained four national leaders as they brought the country's independence through the War of Liberation at the directive of Bangabandhu."

"Those who killed Bangabandhu, they were sent to the Dhaka Central Jail by Moshtaque to kill four national leaders."

The Prime Minister also pointed out that the killer Moshtaque had appointed Ziaur Rahman as the army chief after the killing of Bangabandhu. "Why did Moshtaque had appointed Zia as the army chief if he had no relations with him," she asked.

Sheikh Hasina said Zia had rehabilitated Razakars and Al-Badr who worked against the country's independence. Even, those who are now in the BNP-led 20-party alliance are either anti-liberation war elements or killers. The 20-party alliance has been formed with these elements. The leaders in the 20-party alliance are like carbuncles. There is no doubt about it.

Sheikh Hasina said, "The BNP chairperson is still favouring the war criminals. What is her reply? Are they in favour of Bangladesh or against the independence?"

The premier said: "We pledged to try the war criminals. We've done this. Trial is going on and will also go on. The verdicts will be executed one after another."

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu wanted to turn Bangladesh into 'Switzerland of the East.' But, Bangladesh turned into a country of the killers after his killing."

With Jubo League chairman Omar Faruque Chowdhury in the chair, the rally was also attended by  Jubo League's former chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak, general secretary Harun-ur-Rashid, Jubo League's former chairman and Awami League presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, present and former leaders of the organisation.

Jubo League, the first youth organization of Bangladesh, was founded by Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni at the directive of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on November 11, 1972.

Moni was the founding chairman of Jubo League while Noor-e-Alam Siddiqui general secretary.