Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, Mahfuj Alam, has said that honour of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman could be restored if the Awami League (AL) and his family members publicly apologise to the people of Bangladesh for a range of alleged post-1971 crimes, including mass killings, enforced disappearances, corruption, the famine of 1974, and the 1972 constitution, which, according to him, laid the foundation for the authoritarian regime of BKSAL.
In a Facebook post from his verified account on Wednesday, Mahfuj criticised both Sheikh Mujib and his daughter, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, for what he described as their "fascist" regimes.
He pointed out that while Sheikh Mujib was initially celebrated as a popular leader who fought against Pakistani tyranny, his leadership after 1971 took a turn towards authoritarianism.
"The only difference is, unlike Hasina, Sheikh Mujib was once a popular demagogue of eastern Bengal masses. The masses followed him against Pakistani tyranny, but he became a tyrant himself after 1971. For Mujibism, Bangladesh became crippled and divided. People did not mourn his death in 1975 for his fascist role," Mahfuj wrote in the post.
"Sheikh Mujib will enjoy the honour for his pre-1971 roles if his party and family apologise to the people of Bangladesh for the mass killings, enforced disappearances, corruption, the famine, and the 1972 constitution that paved the way for BKSAL," Mahfuj said.
Mahfuj also called for accountability not just for Sheikh Mujib's actions, but also for those of his daughter, Sheikh Hasina.
"The Awami League and the Sheikh family should recognise, apologise for, and face trials for Sheikh Hasina's fascist regime," he added, suggesting that they abandon the politics of Mujibism and the idolisation of the Sheikh family.
He emphasized that history cannot be erased and that Bangladesh must confront and reconcile historical misattributions.
"The 1971 Liberation War belongs to the people of Bangladesh, not to any individual or party," he said, adding that any liberation warrior involved in wrongdoing after 1971 should be tried and punished.
Mahfuj also remarked that the spirit of the July Uprising, along with the movements of 1947 and 1971, should remain a part of Bangladesh's collective memory.
