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Download PDF The BNP observes its 29th founding anniversary today amid uncertainty whether its Chairperson Khaleda Zia will be allowed to visit the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman.
The party has drawn up programmes to commemorate the event on a limited scale in line with the government directives.
According to the conditions set by the interim administration, there should be no procession or chanting of slogans.
No one is permitted to carry banner, placard and festoon during the programmes that include hoisting national and BNP flags at party offices, and placing wreaths at the grave of party founder Ziaur Rahman at 10:30am.
No more than 20 leaders and workers at a time will be allowed to lay wreaths at the mausoleum in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, an adviser to the BNP chairperson, told reporters Thursday that the party chief will visit Zia’s grave to pay her respects. The other leaders however could not confirm whether Khaleda will be able to attend the programme.
BNP Joint Secretary General and spokesperson Nazrul Islam Khan told The Daily Star, “As far as I know, she will visit the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman.”
Asked if she would be allowed, he said, “It is up to the government.”
Khaleda Zia in a message yesterday greeted leaders, workers as well as people of all walks of life on the occasion.
She urged all leaders and workers to remain united in respect for Zia.
“We will carry out our duties for the well-being of the country and the people,” said the former prime minister calling on the partymen to stand by the flood victims.
Meanwhile, leader of the pro-reform camp and BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday paid homage to Ziaur Rahman and the party faithful who died since its formation in 1979.
Talking to reporters at his Gulshan residence, he asked the BNP units across the country to observe the anniversary in consultation with the local administration.
KHALEDA’S TELECONFERENCE
According to New York based agency News World, Khaleda Zia in a teleconference with leaders of the BNP US chapter Thursday said Tarique Rahman cannot indulge in corruption as a son of late president Zia.
“Nobody can prove the allegations against Tarique and he is in jail due to a political propaganda campaign against him,” she claimed, saying that her elder son is the one who had initiated reforms in the country.
Terming him a ‘reflection of Ziaur Rahman’, the former premier said those who love Zia should wage a movement to get Tarique free.
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