BNP will celebrate the 85th birth anniversary of its founder Ziaur Rahman on Tuesday.

Born on January 19, 1936 at Bagbari in Bogura, Ziaur Rahman founded BNP in 1978 and became the country’s seventh president. Zia was assassinated by a group of army officers at Chattogram Circuit House on May 30, 1981.

Also read:  BNP’s programmes to observe Zia's birth anniv

BNP and its front organisations have taken various programmes to mark the day in a befitting manner.

As part of the programmes, BNP standing committee members together with party leaders and activists will place wreaths at Zia’s grave around 11am on Tuesday.

Besides, the party flag will be hoisted atop all BNP offices across the country at 6am.

BNP will arrange a free medical camp at the party’s Nayapaltan central office from 10am to 2pm while Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) will arrange a free healthcare camp at the same venue the following day.

BNP will arrange a virtual discussion on Zi’s life and work in the afternoon, in observance of the day.

Also read:  BNP pays homage to Zia on founding anniversary

BNP’s associate bodies will arrange discussions, a photo exhibition, and an essay competition as part of Zia’s birth anniversary programmes.

Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal will organise a discussion on Zia on Wednesday afternoon at the Supreme Court Bar auditorium.

BNP’s district, city, upazila and thana units will celebrate the birth anniversary with various programmes.

Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir issued a message on the occasion paying deep homage to Zia.

Also read: BNP observes party founder Zia’s death anniversary

He recalled the BNP founder’s contributions to the country’s deployment and restoration of ‘multiparty democracy’.

Fakhrul also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Zia.

Bringing various allegations of vote ‘rigging’ in Saturday’s second phase of municipal polls, BNP on Monday said the current Election Commission (EC) has been working as an ‘electoral post box’ of Awami League.

“The ruling party indulged in massive violence, bloodshed and vote-rigging as before in the second phase of elections to 60 municipalities. They openly rigged votes through EVMs, the digital machines of snatching votes, after capturing voting centres everywhere,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Also Read: AL snatched victory in municipal polls: BNP

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said the victory or defeat of a candidate is fixed by Gonobhaban, not by people, both in the national and local body polls during the tenure of Awami League.

“The Election Commission is now just an electoral post box of Awami League and their job is to publish the list sent by the Awami League high command. Sheikh Hasina is the mastermind of this game while the police administration is the main player,” the BNP leader said.

Also Read: Sirajganj municipality polls: Councillor-elect killed

He also alleged that the EC has become a puppet of the government as it has failed to play the neutral role in conducting the polls.

Rizvi alleged that Awami League used a ‘new model of deception’ in the elections to Basurhat Municipality in Noakhali’s Companygonj where ruling party secretary general Obaidul Quader’s younger brother Abdul Quader Mirza was elected mayor by creating an uproar with his recent remarks.

​​​​​​​Also Read: Municipality polls: BNP makes allegations of vote fraud

“Various electoral models that 'Rakibul Huda or Nurul Huda' clique has produced through futile elections over the last decade have not faded from the memory of people…the latest discovery of the useless Commission to meet the demand of the ruling Awami League is Basurhat model,” he observed.

The BNP leader said the ruling party used Quader Mirza to implement the new model to bring some sensation in the pre-set ‘unilateral elections’. “People could realise this drama of Awami League before the polls. Basurhat Municipal election is a new model of Awami League's hypocrisy.”

​​​​​​​Also Read: Municipality polls: Ansar member among 3 hurt in crude bomb blast in Feni

He said Quader Mirza criticised Awami League to draw media attention and thus implement the new model through staging a farce in the name of elections.

Rizvi also slammed EC senior secretary M Alamgir for his comment that huge voters spontaneously exercised their right to franchise. “Such lies can be utterer by a big shameless person who sold his soul to the government. This Commission has become the mouthpiece of the government.”

​​​​​​​Also Read: 2nd phase municipal polls Saturday

 As always, he said, the role of the Election Commission in Saturday's municipal elections was very ‘shameless’.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that Awami League (AL) candidates snatched the victory in Saturday’s municipal polls by indulging in ‘vote robbery ‘.

"You’ve seen what's happened to the municipal elections held yesterday (Saturday). They (AL) have captured most of the polling stations and snatched the victory by indulging in vote robbery,” he said.

Also read: Sculpture controversy not an issue for BNP: Fakhrul

Fakhrul also lamented that a BNP nominated councillor who got elected securing 85 percent of votes in Sirajganj municipality was killed.

He made the remarks while speaking at a meeting of BNP’s Dhaka divisional coordination committee on the celebration of the golden jubilee of independence.

The meeting was held at BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas’ Shahjahanpur residence.

Also read:Media being regulated with various laws: Fakhrul

Fakhrul said the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used in the elections to ‘rig’ votes and ‘manipulate’ the results through different tricks. “They’re using the state machinery to stay in power and cement the one-party governance system.”

He said it is unfortunate that the nation is going to celebrate the Golden  Jubilee of its independence when people are deprived of freedom and democratic and constitutional rights, including the voting one.

Also read:It's 'cruel mockery' with the nation, Fakhrul about election

The BNP leader said a section of people in the country has been amassing wealth while the ordinary ones are struggling with poverty and becoming poor to poorer.

“Our democracy has been annihilated and human rights have been snatched. That’s why we attach great importance to this Golden  Jubilee and thus remind people about their aspirations for which they liberated the country in 1971,” he said.

Fakhrul said their party’s main goal is to establish a truly democratic state and democratic society ensuring the equal rights of all by uniting people.

Also read:Don't get upset, work for change: Fakhrul

He said though the nation liberated the country in 1971 through a bloodstained struggle, Bangladesh now cannot be said to be an independent state in true sense.

The BNP leader said Bangladeshis are regularly killed along the border by Indian Border Security Force. “Such genocide along the border of any civilised country can’t continue.”

He said Bangladesh’s justified rights as an independent country are not being ensured. “The current government is ensuring the benefits of the neighbouring countries by adopting a knee-jerk policy. “But we’re unable to resolve the outstanding problems (with the neighbour).”

Also read:Repression on to stop govt's criticisms: Fakhrul

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said their party will present the ‘genuine’ history of the Liberation War before the new generation by celebrating the Golden  Jubilee of the indolence in a befitting manner.

Bangladesh Awami League on Sunday named the members of its International Affairs Subcommittee for  2019-2022.

Also read:AL announces 32 more central committee leaders' names

AL General Secretary and Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader approved the subcommittee as directed by the party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

Also read:Khokon made AL central working committee member

Ambassador Muhammad Zamir is the chairman of the subcommittee while Dr Shammi Ahmed is the member secretary of the 41-member committee in addition to three experts.

Also read:Constitute all AL committees: PM to party leaders

Also read:AL announces full committees of affiliated bodies

Prime Minister's Special Assistant and international affairs subcommittee member Barrister Shah Ali Farhad shared the approved committee document on Facebook.

Denouncing the killing of its councillor-elect in Saturday’s Sirajganj municipal polls, BNP on Sunday alleged that the Awami League has turned Bangladesh into a "death valley" as justice has disappeared from the country.

Also read:Repression on to stop govt's criticisms: Fakhrul

In a statement, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “Violent terrorism is their (AL’s) apolitical ideology. That's why the opposition parties and their opinion are being suppressed in a bloody manner. Not only the political opponents, but also civil society members and intellectuals who speak the truth are being brutally tortured by the ruling party,” he said.

Also read: Sculpture controversy not an issue for BNP: Fakhrul

The BNP leader said, “Bangladesh is now the name of a sanctuary of terror acts like murder and extrajudicial killings. The present government has turned the country into a death valley. The killers are being encouraged as justice has disappeared from the country.”

Fakhrul issued the statement strongly protesting the killing of BNP-backed councillor-elect Tariqul Islam in Sirajganj municipality polls on Saturday by the supporters of Awami League-supported defeated candidate.

He alleged that the ruling party men carried out a brutal attack on Tariqul and killed him ruthlessly.

Also read:Media being regulated with various laws: Fakhrul

The BNP leader said the killing of a councillor-elect has exposed once again that the government wants to maintain its ‘illegitimate’ power by shedding blood.

“Fair elections, tolerance, conscience, compassion and kindness are not there in the dictionary of Awami League. The ongoing festival of bloodshed in the country, has manifested an inhuman face of the state,” he observed.

The BNP leader said had the criminals, irrespective of their political identities, been brought under the ambit of law and punished, then BNP-backed councillor-elect Tariqul in Sirajganj municipal elections would not have been killed by the supporters of the "defeated" Awami League councillor candidate.

Also read:It's 'cruel mockery' with the nation, Fakhrul about election

Fakhrul said the brutal assassination of Tariqul is undoubtedly another scandalous chapter against fair elections in Bangladesh during the tenure of the current government.

He demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers of Tariqul.

Also read:Don't get upset, work for change: Fakhrul