United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka Zila Parishad Administrator Yasin Ferdous Murad on Saturday said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has emerged as a democratic, humane leader before the nation, carrying forward his parents' ideals. He made the remarks while addressing a brief rally held before a procession organised by Dhamrai upazila BNP and its affiliated organisations to mark the party's 48th founding anniversary. Murad, also president of the Dhaka district unit of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, said BNP founder and late President Ziaur Rahman declared independence, defeated the Pakistani occupation forces and secured the national flag. He said Ziaur Rahman later assumed state power at a critical juncture in the country’s history, abolished the one-party BAKSAL system, and restored multi-party democracy and press freedom. “Bangladesh achieved political, economic and diplomatic success because of Ziaur Rahman’s visionary decisions,” Murad said. He said Ziaur Rahman was killed in what he described as a conspiracy while working for the country. Following his death, Begum Khaleda Zia took up the struggle to restore democracy, the administrator said, adding that she led a nine-year movement that ended autocratic rule and restored parliamentary democracy. He said the BNP had been allowed to serve the people three times under Khaleda Zia’s leadership despite various challenges and conspiracies. “Whenever the BNP assumed state power, it has had to face various crises, including a fragile economy inherited from the previous government,” Murad said. He said Tarique Rahman has also taken responsibility for governing the country amid various challenges, including a shattered economy left by the previous government. “I hope he will also succeed, just as his parents did,” he said.