Dhaka: The hoisting of the Pakistani national flag atop the residence of a politician and the killing of an Awami League (AL) leader who protested it has angered veterans of Bangladesh's freedom struggle.

A Pakistani flag was hoisted atop the residence of Jahangir Mohamad Adel, a senior leader of the Jatiya Party (JP) led by deposed president Ershad-ul-Haq, on August 14. Kamal Hossain, an AL leader, protested the hoisting of the flag. Later in the night, he was found murdered. However, none has so far been charged in the murder.

Reports said Adel's son, Jubaer Mohammad Adel, hoisted the flag. He was later arrested along with a friend, Pappu. According to the police, Adel claimed that his 13-year-old son, Ashiq, was a supporter of the Pakistani cricket team and he had put up the flag. However, there was no match involving the Pakistani cricket team on August 14, which is also Pakistan's Independence Day.

Adel contradicted his son's statement and blamed his political rivals for the incident. "An overenthusiastic person might have hoisted the flag atop my house on August 14 which is beyond my knowledge," he said.

He claimed political rivals in the locality must have "done the act taking advantage of free access" to the house. "Whatever the case might have been, I am shocked and ashamed of the whole affair," he added.

Meanwhile, the incident took another turn with freedom fighters taking strong exception to Pakistan's flag being hoisted. The Bangladesh Muktijoddah Sangsad (BMS) expressed its displeasure over the incident.

Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, chairman of BMS' central command council said in a statement, "Hoisting of the Pakistani flag after 29 years of independence of the country has angered freedom fighters. It's a direct attack on the spirit of the liberation war. This incident is the expression of the anti-liberation forces' love for Pakistan. It's a conspiracy against the freedom fighters."

Leaders of Muktijoddah Sanghati Parishad (MSP), another grouping of freedom fighters, issued a statement demanding exemplary punishment for those behind the flag hoisting and killing of the Awami League leader.

Parishad president Shawkat Ali and general secretary Abdus Samad Pintu described the incident as a treasonable act and demanded arrest the and trial of those involved.

The Jatiya Party has charged Jahangir Adel with violating the party constitution by hoisting the Pakistani flag atop his house. The party served notice on Adel asking him to show cause within 15 days as to why punitive action should not taken against him.

India Abroad News Service