Renewing her allegation that Khandaker Mostaque Ahmed and Ziaur Rahman were involved in the plot to assassinate Father of the Nation along with most of his family members, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it was an attempt not only to kill a family but also the country's victory and ideology, reports UNB.

"August 15 was not about the killing of a family. It was an attempt to kill the victory and the ideology of the Bengali nation through which Bangladesh achieved the independence," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a blood donation and discussion programme organised by Bangladesh Krishak League near Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 on the very first day of the month of mourning.

Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League president, alleged that after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu, an attempt was made to turn independent Bangladesh into the cohorts of the defeated Pakistani occupational forces.

She called on the Krishak League men to help implement various programmes of the present government to change the fate of distressed farmers and stand by them.

Recalling the killing of her near and dear ones on that fateful night, the Prime Minister said those who committed the heinous murder, including Major Dalim, used to visit their Dhanmondi-32 house regularly. "Even Ziaur Rahman along with her wife Khaleda also used to visit our residence twice or thrice a month."

Mentioning that the Father of the Nation had promoted Ziaur Rahman to Major General from Major and resolved his family problem, she posed a question, "How could they betray him after getting so much love and affections?"

Hasina said after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu, Mostaque became president violating the constitution and then made Ziaur Rahman as the Army chief. "There's no doubt that Ziaur Rahman had joined hands with Mostaque in hatching the conspiracy (to kill the Father of the Nation)," she said.

The Prime Minister alleged that Zia had rewarded the killers through appointing them to different Bangladesh missions abroad.

Besides, Zia had stopped the trial of the war criminals and made Shah Aziz his Prime Minister and war criminals Abdul Alim and Abdul Mannan his Cabinet members, the Prime Minister said.

Hasina said she had lost her near and dear ones with the massacre while the people of Bangladesh lost their golden days, all the hopes and immense possibilities and the leaders and workers of Awami League except some traitors had to face the wrath of the rulers.

She also said those who had opposed the country's independence and licked the feet of the Pakistani forces brought destruction to the country and tried to push the country towards a completely opposite direction through the killing.

Hasina described the August-15 massacre as a tragedy like Karbala, a black chapter in the lives of the people of Bangladesh and a rare incident in the world.

The Prime Minister expressed her firm belief that had Bangabandhu remained alive, Bangladesh could have become a prosperous and developed country in the world within 10 years of its independence while the Bangalicould have become a dignified nation. She also said the debt for Bangabandhu's blood will only be paid when smile can be brought to the faces of the poor and distressed people and Bangladesh can be freed from poverty.

Later, the Prime Minister went round different beds where the leaders and workers of Krishak League were voluntarily donating blood.

Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Awami League Presidium member Dr M Abdur Razzaque and Krishak League General Secretary Khandoker Shamsul Haque Reza spoke, among others, at the programme chaired by Krishak League President Motahar Hossain Mollah.