Zia’s 90th birth anniversary today

The BNP is set to observe the 90th birth anniversary of its founder and former president of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman today with due solemnity.

Born on January 19, 1936, in Bogura’s Bagbari, Ziaur Rahman was assassinated by a group of army officers at the Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, 1981.

He founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 1978 and later became the country’s seventh president.

The BNP on Saturday announced a two-day programme to mark Zia’s birth anniversary.

As part of the programme, party flags will be hoisted at all BNP offices across the country, including its central office in the capital’s Nayapaltan, this morning.

Party leaders and activists, led by standing committee members, will place wreaths at Zia’s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and offer fateha at 11:00am.

The Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh will organise a free medical camp as part of the programme.

The BNP will also hold a discussion in memory of Zia at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, on Tuesday.

The party’s associate bodies will also mark the day with various programmes, including discussions and the distribution of warm clothes. City, district and upazila units will observe the occasion with similar programmes.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir issued a message paying tribute to Ziaur Rahman. “Shaheed Zia was a visionary statesman. The proclaimer of Bangladesh’s independence, the pioneer of multi-party democracy, the commander of the Z-Force during the Liberation War, and the proponent of Bangladesh nationalist ideology -- I pay tribute to him on the occasion of his 90th birth anniversary.”

He recalled Zia’s contributions to the Liberation War, national development and the restoration of multi-party democracy.

The BNP leader also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Zia.