BNP leaders and activists paid homage to their party founder and late president Ziaur Rahman on Monday, marking what they said the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’. Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment on 7 November 1975, paving the way for him to come to power. BNP and its associate bodies chalked out various programmes to observe the day. Read more: BNP’s Sylhet divisional rally on Nov 19 instead of 20 As part of the programmes, senior BNP leaders and activists, led by party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, placed a wreath at Zia’s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 11am. They also offered fateha there and a munajat seeking salvation of Zia’s departed soul. BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were, among others, present.

BNP on Sunday chalked out various programmes to observe what it calls ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ marking the ‘civil-military uprising’ on November 7, 1975. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programmes at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office after a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies. As part of the programmes, he said their party flag will be hoisted atop all offices of the party across the country on the morning of November 7 while BNP senior leaders will place wreaths and offer fateha at the grave of late president and party founder Ziaur Rahman at 11:00am. The party will also arrange an open discussion meeting in front of its Nayapaltan central office at 2pm the same day. Besides, BNP’s associate bodies and all units will hold various programmes, including discussions, cultural programmes, essay competitions, photo exhibitions and publishing supplements in newspapers, across the country to mark the day with due respect. Read: BNP rally begins defying transport strike in Rangpur Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians on November 7, 1975 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 alliance partners celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of the ‘killing of freedom fighters. Speaking at the press conference, Fakhrul said November 7 is very important to the nation in this difficult situation of the country. “We have to liberate Bangladesh again and free it from misrule involving people being imbued with the spirit of the spirit of November 7.” He called upon people from all walks of life to come forward to protect Bangladesh its independence and sovereignty. “We have to get united and defeat this autocratic regime.”

November 7 is a black day in Bangladesh’s history when many soldiers and officers were killed.

BNP will observe what it says the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ on Saturday (Nov 7), marking the ‘civil-military uprising' in 1975.