Prothom Alo
BNP on Monday alleged that the government obstructed its various programmes taken on the occasion of Ziaur Rahman’s death anniversary across the country.
“The police and administration shamelessly obstructed and controlled the programmes organised by our party and associate bodies in different areas on the occasion of Ziaur Rahman’s 40th death anniversary,” said party organising secretary Syed Imran Saleh Prince.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he said BNP leaders and activists were also obstructed at the entrance of Zia’s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital on Sunday as they went there to pay homage to the party founder.
Besides, he said, police obstructed their party leaders and workers in many areas from distributing food among the destitute on the occasion. “We strongly condemn and protest such nasty acts by the police and administration.”
Narrating different incidents, Prince said police imposed a restriction on holding a programme in Kushtia on the occasion. “Even when a black flag was hoisted atop of the party office there, they (police) pulled it down,” he added.
He further said, “In Narail, food for orphans was taken away by police while prayer sessions were not allowed in mosques.”
Prince said they locked Chattogram city unit BNP office and other party offices in different districts, upazilas on Sunday.
He said Awami League government has long been trying to remove Zia’s name from the hearts of people by carrying out such “inhuman and disgusting” activities as it fears BNP. “We would like to say it firmly that Ziaur Rahman was such a popular leader and statesman that he could never be erased from the hearts of the people of Bangladesh.”
The 40th death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman was observed amid various programmes by the party and its associate bodies on Sunday.
Zia founded BNP in 1978. He was assassinated by some army officers at the Chittagong Circuit House on 30 May, 1981.
BNP and its different associate bodies chalked out a 15-day programme to observe the 40th death anniversary with due reverence.
The programmes include arranging virtual discussion meetings, photo exhibition and free medical camps, wearing black badges, publishing posters and supplements in newspapers and distributing food among the destitute.
