Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday observed the 35th death anniversary of late president Ziaur Rahman, paying tributes to his memory and pledging to thwart the ‘government’s conspiracy’ against the party.
Ziaur Rahman, the erstwhile president of Bangladesh, was assassinated by a group of derailed army officers at Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, in 1981.
Leaders and activists of BNP and its front and associate organisations congregated at the graveside of Zia at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital to pay their respects to the late leader who founded BNP in 1978.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia flanked by party leaders and activists, placed wreath and offered fateha at the tomb site around 11:30am.
BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mahbubur Rahman, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Selima Rahman accompanied the chairperson, during the annual ritual.
Later, Khaleda took part in a prayer session organised by Jatiyatabadi Olama Dal, on the premise of the late president’s grave and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
As prayer session ended, Khaleda launched her 3-day distribution of meals among the destitute at various places in the capital, including Manik Mia Avenue.
On the first day, she distributed meals at 32 spots, including Mohammadpur Town Hall, Sobhanbagh, Kalabagan, Azimpur, Palashi, High Court area, Kaptan Bazar, Nayabazar, Bangsal, Motijheel, Shahjahanpur, Shantinagar and Nayapaltan.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government is conspiring to keep Khaleda Zia off the politics and eliminate BNP.
As part of it, he said, cases have been filed against the party leaders and activists to isolate BNP from people, he said.
He said such plots will never succeed.
He explained that BNP always progressed forward amid various adversaries. The party struggled together with the people to realise citizens’ democratic rights, and eventually succeeded.
Fakhrul was talking to journalists at the Zia’s tomb.
He said they all vowed that they would restore democracy imbued with ideologies of Ziaur Rahman and work for establishing people’s government.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the government is moving to convict Khaleda through holding trials.
He said putting her behind bars would be very harmful for the country, as well as, democracy.
He said if the government has any plan to award Khaleda any sentence that would be tantamount to playing with fire.
Mosharraf asked the government not to take such an imprudent decision for the interest of
the country and democracy.
The party flag was hoisted half-mast while black flag atop the poles at party offices across the country, to mark Zia’s death anniversary.
Meanwhile, Doctors Association of Bangladesh organised a voluntary blood donation programme and free medial camp in front of BNP’s central office.
Jatiyatatbadi Chhatra Dal held photo exhibition on life and works of Zia at the National Press Club auditorium.
Other social, cultural and political organisations also observed the death anniversary.
BNP district units held discussions, prayer sessions and other programmes to observe the day.
Ziaur Rahman, the 7th president of Bangladesh– 1977 to 1981– was born on January 19, 1936 at Bagbari village in Bogra.
Source: New Age
