Dhaka, Mar 23 (bdnews24.com)Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Oli Ahmed has denied as 'baseless' the fact that three million people embraced martyrdom during the nation's war of independence in 1971.
Martyrs are those who took up arms during the war and died in direct combat. And no more than 30,000 people did that during the liberation war, said Oli, himself a freedom fighter, at a discussion meeting on Friday.
His remarks caused rumble among the audience and organisers, National Awami Party, stepped in to calm the situation.
"A total of eight thousand soldiers participated in the liberation war. And in addition to them, the number of people participating in direct war would not exceed 20000," he added at the discussion held at National Press Club.
According to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, as many as 30,000 soldiers fought the war in 11 sectors across the country while the number of guerrilla fighters participating in the war was 1,45,000.
Besides, Mujib Bahini, National Awami Party, Chhatra Union, Communist Party's guerrilla wing, and individual people's group, like the one organised by Kader Siddiqui, also fought during the war.
Oli came under scathing criticism in November last year after he made derogatory remarks about women MPs and is currently facing a defamation suit. He joined BNP-led coalition recently.
3 mln martyrs claim baseless: Oli | Politics | bdnews24.com