UNB, Dhaka :
BNP and its associate bodies celebrated the 78th birth anniversary of late President and party founder Ziaur Rahman on Sunday with a fresh vow to restore democracy in the country.
BNP leaders and workers, led by party chairperson Khaleda Zia, placed wreaths and at Zia’s mazar in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 11:30am.
Khaleda also offered fateha there and took part in a munajat with the party followers, seeking divine blessings for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Ziaur Rahman.
The BNP chairperson also inaugurated a voluntary blood donation programme arranged by Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and Zisas on the mazar premises.
Talking to reporters after placing wreaths at the grave of the party founder, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said “The government has imposed an autocratic rule on people like a heavy stone through holding a lopsided election. We vow to initiate a struggle for restoring democracy and establishing people’s voting right.
Expressing his optimism that their movement will be successful one, Fakhrul said, “We believe the autocratic regime will be ousted and people will come out victorious.”
Several thousand leaders and activists thronged on the premises of Zia’s mazar to pay their respect to the party founder on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
Many leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies who had gone into hiding before the January 5 election were seen at the Zia’s mazar along with Khaleda.
Different units of the party and its associate bodies also observed the day across the country with due respect amid various programmes. The programmes include discussions, hoisting party flag, placing wreaths and offering fathea at Zia’s mazar, photo exhibitions, rallies, miald mahfil, free health camp and blood donation, and cultural functions.
Born January 19, 1936 at Bagbari in Bogra, Zia was also a sector commander during the Liberation War and awarded with Bir Uttam, the highest gallantry award for a living officer for his wartime services.
Zia founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 1978.
