BNP to turn grief of Khaleda Zia’s passing into strength: Salahuddin

BNP will turn the grief over the death of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia into strength to work for rebuilding the country, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said today (1 January).

"We want to transform Begum Zia's grief into strength. But we are not so narrow as to use it merely for party-based electoral work. We want to use this mourning for nation-building," Salahuddin told reporters in Gulshan.

Commenting on the upcoming election, he said there is no legal scope to postpone or delay the polls due to Khaleda Zia's death.

"There is no such provision in the law. Had this occurred after scrutiny and symbol allocation, legal complexities could have raised questions. But that is not the case now. Legally, she no longer exists as a legal entity, so her nomination will not stand. If an alternative candidate's nomination is accepted, they will be the candidate in her place," he said.

Speaking about Khaleda Zia's legacy, Salahuddin added, "Our leader is no more, but she remains alive in the hearts of people. She earned the title 'Mother of Democracy'. Many who could not come to Dhaka joined her Janaza through absentee prayers. With participation from people across the world, it has been recognised as the largest Janaza on earth. Perhaps the numbers will be presented later."

"While fighting for democracy, Madam sacrificed her own life, children, and family. Her love, devotion and patriotism for this country, its people, and its soil were unmatched. She lost everything, yet reached a height very few in the world ever achieve. With her sacrifice and contribution as our inspiration, we will move forward to build a stronger, democratic, and discrimination-free Bangladesh," he said.

"In our view, Begum Khaleda Zia was not only a BNP leader or a leader of Bangladesh; she became a leader for democracy-seeking people around the world. Losing her has created a void that can never be filled," Salahuddin added.