Guests attend a discussion organised by Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal JSD in Dhaka on Saturday, marking national flag hoisting day on March 2. — New Age photo

JSD president ASM Abdur Rob said on Saturday that Awami League cannot avoid the responsibility of distorting history of war on Independence.
‘No decision for independence of Bangladesh was taken either by Awami League as a party or at any meeting of its parliamentary party before March 25, 1971,’ he said at a discussion in the city.
Basically, the decision was taken by the then Chatra League and a core committee of the Swadhin Bangla Biplabi Parishad, widely known as ‘The Nucleus,’ Rob said.
He said that everything followed at the directive of the core committee.
The discussion was organized by JSD at Mahanagar Natyamancha to mark March 2, the day the flag of independent Bangladesh was first hoisted in 1971 by Rob in front of the Arts Faculty Building of Dhaka University.
Rob said that not mentioning the role of those who organized the independence war and the role of the government in exile in 1971 was nothing but an act of gross distortion of history by ruling Awami League.
He said that Bangladesh needed a third political force to save the country from the politics of confrontation of the two big political parties.
He also repeated the need restoration of the non-party caretaker government system for holding free, fair and acceptable parliamentary polls, a bi-cameral parliament, splitting the country into provinces and strong local government.
Krishok Shramik Janata League president Quader Siddiqui asked the government to observe Marcy 2 as the day of hoisting the Bangladesh flag nationally.
Gonosasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury requested the government to award this year’s Swadhinata Padak to Rob and Quader Siddiq for their outstanding contribution in the war of independence.
Chaired by JSD vice president MA Gofran, the discussion was also addressed by JSD general secretary Abdul Maleq Ratan, educationist Syed Shafiullah, Chattra League former general secretary Khaled Mohammad Ali, writer Mahabub Ullah and poet Rokhsana.
Celebration of the day began with hoisting the national flag, the JSD flag and releasing of balloons and pigeons by  JSD leaders and the guests.