Advisor to the Prime Minister and BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that anti-liberation forces are attempting to undermine the history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War.

He made the remarks at a brief rally in front of the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

Rizvi said, “My identity is Bangladeshi. This is an achievement of 1971. We are the successors of those who fought the war.”

Questioning who is trying to belittle the history of the Liberation War, he said, “Those who opposed independence at that time. They have no history of heroism; they only have a history of collaboration.”

The Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party and the Liberation War Generation organised the programme to protest what they described as “provocative statements and activities by Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed the 1971 Liberation War, aimed at creating instability in Bangladesh.”

The programme began with a press conference at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity. Later, leaders and activists of the organisations brought out a procession from the Reporters Unity to the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, where they held a brief rally.

At the rally, Rizvi alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami had always tried to win favour with the Awami League. He claimed that Jamaat participated in the 1986 election through an understanding with the Awami League and also criticised the party over the 2008 election.

Referring to Jamaat’s position on relations with India, Rizvi said the party had strongly advocated building good relations with the neighbouring country. He criticised what he described as Jamaat’s intention to forge an alliance with India despite alleged persecution of Muslims there and controversial remarks by political leaders in India.

Rizvi also referred to an art exhibition held at the residence of the Jamaat chief. He claimed that there was no picture of the “greatest freedom fighter” at the exhibition, while the history of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech was also displayed. “This is where it becomes clear,” he said.

Referring to the drawing of Jamaat’s weighing-scale symbol by Islami Chhatra Shibir activists at Rajshahi University, Rizvi said, “They have diminished the significance of 1971. These are deliberate acts.”

He further said, “The spirit of 1971 was in our hearts, which is why our children drove out a fascist like Sheikh Hasina in 2024.”

The Prime Minister’s adviser said, “Today, there is a conspiratorial attempt to determine what is bigger and what is smaller. It will serve no purpose. This nation knows how to protect its independence.”