"Ziaur Rahman had been placed under house arrest on November 3 for national and international reasons. Patriotic sepoys and the country’s people freed him on November 7 foiling that plot, and consolidated the independence in true sense,” he said.
The BNP leader said, “The new journey of democracy began on that day (Nov-7, 1975. Bangladesh was also liberated for the second time through the civil-military uprising' on November 7.”
Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman by placing wreaths at his grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, marking what the party says the “National Revolution and Solidarity Day”.
On this day in 1975, amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.
While BNP and its alliances celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of 'killing of freedom fighters'. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.
The BNP secretary general said the historic civil-military uprising' of 1975 created a scope for establishing a democratic Bangladesh, multiparty democracy and people's rule under the leadership of Zia.
“To commemorate this historic day, we, the members of BNP standing committee, on behalf of our party, its chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman, came here today (Saturday) to place wreaths at his (Zia’s) mazar and pay our respects to him,” Fakhrul said.
He said ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ is a very important day in the context of Bangladesh’s present condition as one-party rule Bakasl has been established here snatching people’s all rights and destroying democracy the way Awami League had done it before November 7 in 1975. “Awami League has usurped power and continued its rule by force.”
"That’s why today we’ve taken a vow that we’ll protect democracy and free our leader Khaleda Zia as she was convicted in false cases. We’ll surely win this struggle for democracy, Inshallah," the BNP leader added.
BNP standing committee members, including Moudud Ahmed, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Selima Rahman, led by Fakhrul went to Zia’s grave around 11am and paid tributes to Zia maintaining health safety rules.
Later, they joined a munajat seeking eternal peace of Zia’s departed soul.
Leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units and the party’s different associate bodies also placed wreaths at Zia’s grave on the occasion.