Liberation War Affairs Minister Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan stated that Ziaur Rahman risked his life and family to declare Bangladesh’s independence and fought bravely on the battlefield. He made the remarks on Saturday at a discussion organized by the Sakhipur Upazila BNP in Tangail, marking the 45th martyrdom anniversary of the late President Ziaur Rahman.

The minister said that during the critical days of March 1971, when the nation was leaderless and senior political figures were either arrested or in hiding, Ziaur Rahman, then a major, declared independence and joined the war instead of fleeing. He added that Ziaur Rahman stayed in a tea estate manager’s bungalow in present-day Habiganj, where a meeting of 13 army officers appointed M.A.G. Osmani as commander-in-chief and accepted Zia’s proposal to name the conflict the Liberation War.

Addressing party leaders and activists, Ahmed Azam Khan emphasized that the government led by Tarique Rahman, successor of Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia, should serve the people rather than act as rulers.