Zia's death anniversary: BNP to hold 8-day programme from 25 May to 2 June

The BNP has announced an eight-day programme to observe the upcoming 44th death anniversary of its founder and former president Ziaur Rahman on 30 May.

The observance of Zia's death anniversary will begin on 25 May and conclude on 2 June through various programmes, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced, following a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.

"Since Eid-ul-Adha falls on 7 June, we have slightly shortened our programme," he said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir virtually presided over the joint meeting from a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, where he recently underwent a surgery on his left eye.

Ziaur Rahman, who founded the BNP in 1978, was assassinated by a group of army officers at the Chittagong Circuit House on 30 May 1981.

As part of the programmes, black flags will be hoisted while the party flag will be kept at half-mast atop its offices, including its Nayapaltan headquarters, at 6am on 30 May.

The leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies will place wreaths at Zia's grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at 10:30 am on the same day.

They will also offer prayers at Zia's grave and participate in a doa and milad mahfil, praying for the salvation of the soul of the BNP founder.

The party will organise a discussion meeting on 29 May at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, in memory of Zia to mark the occasion.

Besides, there will be discussion meetings, mass prayers in mosques, and the distribution of rice, lentils and clothing among the underprivileged by the party and its associate bodies.

The party will also make arrangements for special supplements to be published in various national newspapers to commemorate the occasion.

Under the initiative of BNP's Dhaka North and South city units, rice, lentils, and clothing will be distributed among the underprivileged across various thanas and wards on 30 May.

The BNP's city, district, upazila and municipality units across the country will also observe the day with due solemnity by organising different programmes, including discussion meetings, and distributing food and clothing to the underprivileged in observance of the day.