BNP has suspended its Tuesday’s programme to mark what it calls the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day' on November 7 in protest against the government's repression and widespread arrest of the opposition leaders and activists.

Party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a virtual press briefing on Monday afternoon.

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Mentioning the reason for the postponement of their traditional programme on November 7, he said the democracy-loving people and the leaders and workers of BNP are now living in an inhumane and terrible atmosphere.

“That’s why our program tomorrow (Tuesday) is to visit the grave of martyr president and the pioneer of multi-democracy Ziaur Rahman, marking November 7, has been suspended to protest the cruel and merciless oppression by the government,” the BNP leader said.

He said the then Awami League government in 1975 established one-party Baksal rule destroying democracy and suppressing freedom of speech.

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“The path of transition from Baksal was created through the revolution on November 7. Every year, people who love democracy and national independence and sovereignty celebrate this day. But the wicked rulers who killed democracy in '75 have now re-established Baksal. They locked the BNP office to silence the voice of the opposition in a new way,” Rizvi said.

He also said the government has created an awful situation in the country by arresting senior BNP leaders, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.  

“Many of our leaders can’t stay at home as false cases have been filed against them. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes amid crackdowns by the government,” the BNP leader said.

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Every year BNP used to observe November 7 as the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ with various programmes, including placing wreaths at Zia’s grave, marking the ‘civil-military uprising' of November 1975.

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 way for him to come to power.

While BNP and its alliance partners celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as a day of freedom fighters’ killings.