Bangladesh
Ziaur Rahman Way The city of Baltimore takes down Zia's nameplate from the street
Dhaka, September 11: The local administration in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, has removed the nameplate of Ziaur Rahman, the assassin of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, from a street.
The 'Ziaur Rahman Way' nameplate was erected at 200 West Saratoga Street in Baltimore last June. City officials removed it on Thursday afternoon.
Local resident Shamim Chowdhury, former general secretary of the United States Awami League, said, "Ziaur Rahman is a cold-hearted killer. After naming the road after him, we objected to the mayor's office. Finally, City Mayor Brandon M. Scott realized that such a man should not be honored in this way."
Shamim Chowdhury said that the officials of the city's transportation division removed the nameplate on the instructions of the mayor.
The nameplate was unveiled by the city administration on June 20 amid cheers from expatriate BNP leaders and activists. That was made possible by the efforts of Mohammad Kajal, a member of the convening committee of the Maryland State BNP and a local businessman. After naming the road after Ziaur Rahman, some expatriates expressed outrage and appealed to the Baltimore City and Maryland State administration to remove it.
Metro Washington Awami League senior co-president Shibbir Ahmed, vice-president Jewel Barua, Greater Washington Juba League president Dewan Arshad Ali Vijay and others rushed to the Saratoga spot in Baltimore City after the nameplate was removed.
From the spot, Washington Awami League leader Shibbir Ahmed said the expatriates were "delighted" that the Baltimore authorities had removed the nameplate. The pro-liberation and pro-independence forces have won.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, office secretary of the United States Awami League, said in a press briefing at Jackson Heights in New York City on Thursday evening, "A group of people misled the US administration with false information and we have been able to correct it."
