By Sumi Khan

Dhaka, Sep 11 (IANS): A Dhaka University professor has been terminated for distorting facts about Bangladesh's Liberation War.

Morshed Hasan Khan from the Department of Marketing is also the assistant training affairs secretary of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) Executive Committee.

The decision to terminate Khan was taken at a meeting of the syndicate, the highest decision-making body of the university chaired by Vice Chancellor professor Md. Akhtaruzzaman, on Wednesday.

Earlier, Khan wrote an article, titled "Jyotirmoy Zia" published in the Jammat-e-Islami Bangladesh-owned daily 'Naya Diganta' on March 26, 2018, highlighting the military dictator Ziaur Rahman as a "saviour" in the period of Liberation war movement on 1971.

In the article, Khan claimed that Rahman, founder of the BNP, proclaimed independence in 1971.

"Most of the Awami League leaders and their families went to India, leaving the people of the country leaderless and in a death trap. Even Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was at the centre of their dreams did the same. In such a crucial moment the then Major Ziaur Rahman appeared as a saviour," he wrote.

"The proclamation of independence came after Mujib had been arrested, not before that. As far as I know, he never proclaimed independence."

But, the Dhaka University Teachers Association's Acting President, Professor ABM Obaidul Islam has sent a letter to the Vice Chancellor requesting to withdraw the termination decision.