Leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies observed the 35th death anniversary of its founder and late president Ziaur Rahman with various programmes.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, also the widow of Zia, together with party leaders and activists paid homage to her husband by placing a wreath at his grave at the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 11:30am, marking the day. Dhaka, UNB News Agency Reported.
She also offered fateha there and joined a milad and doa mahfil arranged by Jatiyatabadi Ulema Dal seeking salvation of Zia’s departed soul.
On May 30, 1981, Zia was assassinated by a group of army officers at Chittagong Circuit House. Born on January 19, 1936 at Bagbari in Bogra, Zia was a sector commander during the Liberation War and awarded Bir Uttam, the highest gallantry award for a living officer for his wartime services.
BNP and its associate organisations chalked out a 15-day programme to observe the death anniversary amid various programmes, including holding discussions, wearing black badges, publishing posters and supplements in newspapers and distributing food among the destitute.
The party flag was hoisted at half-mast, while black flags hoisted at the party’s Nayapaltan central office and all other party offices across the country at 6am.Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal arranged a photo exhibition on Ziaur Rahman at the Jatiya Press Club on the occasion. Ex-VC of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin Ahmed inaugurated it.
Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) arranged a free-medical camp at BNP’s central office providing people with medicine and treatment from 9am to 4pm.Earlier on Sunday, BNP organised a discussion at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Khaleda distribute food among the destitute in different areas in the city, including Manik Maih Avenue, Mohammadpur Town Hall, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Azimpur, Lalbagh, Bangsal, near Judge Court, Nayabazar, in front of High Court Mazar, Nayapaltan central office, Shantinagar, Shahjahanpur and Motijheel.
She started distributing cooked food at T&T ground near Manik Miah Avenue around 12 noon after paying homage of Zia.
Khaleda also went her party’s Nayapaltan central office around 4:45pm. She offered prayers and took her lunch at her chamber at the office. Later, she distributed food there before going to Shahjahnpur for the same purpose.
Different units of the party and its associate bodies also observed the day across the country with due respect.
General Ziaur Rahman rose to power on November 7, 1975 following the coup of mid-August and the counter-coup of November 3. He founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 1978.Khaleda Zia took over the helm of BNP after her husband’s murder.
