The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has unveiled an eight-day programme to observe the 44th death anniversary of its founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, beginning on May 25 and concluding on June 2.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the schedule following a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The meeting was virtually presided over by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is currently recovering from eye surgery at a hospital in Bangkok.
“The programme has been slightly shortened this year due to Eid-ul-Adha falling on June 7,” Rizvi explained.
Ziaur Rahman, who founded the BNP in 1978, was assassinated by a group of army officers at the Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, 1981.
The main commemorative events will take place on May 30, with black flags to be hoisted and the party flag flown at half-mast at all BNP offices, including its Nayapaltan headquarters, at 6:00am.
Party leaders and activists will place wreaths at Zia’s grave in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at 10:30am, followed by prayers and a milad mahfil seeking salvation for his soul.
A day earlier, on May 29, the party will hold a discussion meeting at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, in Dhaka to honour Zia’s legacy.
Additional programmes include discussion meetings, mass prayers in mosques, and charitable distributions of rice, lentils, and clothing to underprivileged communities. Additionally, special newspaper supplements will be published to commemorate the occasion.
The BNP’s Dhaka North and South city units will organise relief distributions across thanas and wards on May 30, while party units nationwide will observe the day with similar programmes, including food and clothing distributions.