BNP and its associate bodies on Thursday celebrated the 50th birthday of their party senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in a befitting manner with various programmes.
Tarique, living in London for treatment since 2008, was born on November 20, 1965.
Flanked by party leaders and activists, Tarique’s mother and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia began the birthday celebrations by cutting a 50-pound cake at her Gulshan office as the clock struck 12:01 on Wednesday night.
A good number of party activists also thronged the Gulshan office and sang ‘happy birthday’ to Tarique as Khaleda was cutting the cake arranged by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. They shouted ‘Shubho shubho shubho din Tarique bhaier jonmodin’ standing beside a cheerful Khaleda.
BNP and its associate bodies chalked out various programmes to celebrate his birthday in a befitting manner.
The programmes include discussions, milad mahfils, voluntary blood donation, art competitions, screening documentaries, health service, prayers and recitation from the holy Quran.
BNP has chalked out a two-day programme to celebrate his birthday. As part of the programme, the party arranged a discussion at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh on Wednesday. Khaleda was present at the programme, but she did not address it.
The party also arranged a milad mahfil on the ground floor of the party after Asr prayers on Thursday on the occasion, seeking his early recovery and long life.
Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB), a BNP front organisation, arranged a voluntary blood donation programme and free health service from 10am in front of the party’s Nayapaltan office.
JCD also arranged a drawing competition and documentary screening programme on the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, premises on the occasion.
Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal cut a huge cake at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the morning.
The UK chapter BNP also celebrated Tarique’s birthday amid various programmes. Different units of the chapter also cut around 50 cakes, marking the birthday.
BNP and its associate bodies also celebrated the birthday across the country with different programmes, including milad mahfil, discussion and destitute feeding.
On September 11, 2008, eight days after his release from jail on bail, Tarique Rahman left for London for treatment relinquishing his party portfolio (senior joint secretary general of BNP), the day her mother, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, was freed from detention during the military-backed caretaker government.
Tarique, arrested on March 7, 2007, was freed from jail on bail on September 3, 2008. However, in December 2009, when he had been abroad for over a year, Tarique was made party’s senior vice-chairman with a clear mandate to lead the BNP in the absence of his mother.
Source: UNB
