BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, along with party leaders and activists, places a wreath at the party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman’s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday celebrated the 80th birth anniversary of the party’s founder, late president Ziaur Rahman, with a vow to carry out the struggle to liberate democracy.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, along with her party’s leaders and activists, paid homage to the memory of Zia placing wreaths at the graveside of the late leader at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital around 11:40 am, and offered fateha praying for peace of the departed soul of Zia, to mark the anniversary.
Zia was born on January 19, 1936 at Bagbari village of Gabtali upazila in Bogra.
Talking to reporters on the premises of Zia’s graveside, acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they have vowed to work for freeing democracy and for economic emancipation of people imbued with the ideal of Ziaur Rahman.
He said at the moment BNP’s main task was to restore democracy, people’s voting rights, freedom of speech and fundamental rights.
He said Zia did not only proclaim independence but had fought in the Independence War of the country.
Fakhrul said late president Zia had introduced the politics of development and production to build up a prosperous Bangladesh through uniting the nation.
He said during his short time in power, Zia had led the country into a forward march of progress.
During the country’s War of Independence in 1971, Zia was initially a sector commander and later as brigade commander, commanded the Z-Force. Zia was decorated with the second highest gallantry award of Bir Uttam.
His proclamation from Kalurghat radio station in Chiittagong on March 27, two days after the Pakistan army’s crackdown on unarmed Bengalis on the night of March 25, 1971, made an unknown Zia a household name throughout Bangladesh.
Zia, the seventh president of Bangladesh, was assassinated by a group of disgruntled army officers at Chittagong Circuit House on the night of May 30, 1981.
BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, speaking to journalists on the premises of Zia’s graveside Tuesday morning, urged the government to hold an all-party conference to find out ways to hold the future general election and to overcome the present crisis.
He said BNP would extend cooperation to this end.
In reply to a question about the ruling party’s statements to relocate Zia’s grave, Noman said BNP did not pay heed to such statements.
He said the government was simply employing a tactic to test people’s pulse, and the relocation of grave had never take place in Bangladesh on either religious or political grounds.
On the reported split in the Jatyia Party (Ershad), he said the conflict was a result ‘over share of commission’, so it will be settled.
BNP hoisted the party flag atop at its offices in the country, including at its Nayapaltan central office, to mark the day. Doctors Association of Bangladesh, a platform of pro-BNP physicians, set up a free medical camp to provide treatment and medicine free of cost among poor people and organised voluntary blood donation in front of the BNP central office.
BNP’s district and city units held discussions and prayer sessions to mark the 80th birth anniversary of Zia.
Source: New Age
