“I think our MPs should take an initiative to find out how many people were killed during the Zia’s regime. So many people were hanged in every jail, particularly in Dhaka, Bogura, Rajshahi, Khulna, Cumilla and other places. There were coups one after another and hundreds of people were killed,” she said.

Hasina said a good number of army officers and soldiers and 562 air force officers and soldiers were killed during Zia’s regime.

Mentioning different activities of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman during the 1971 Liberation War, the prime minister questioned about his contribution to the war.

“Zia was a freedom fighter and Bangabandhu provided him with gallantry award. All these are true, but what’s his role in the liberation war, anyway?” she said.

"When Khaled Mosharraf had been injured, major Haider took over the charge. Zia didn’t become a sector commander rather he worked as an “Odhinayak,” Hasina said.