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The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a five-day programme to mark its 48th founding anniversary on September 1, with party Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman set to pay tribute to the party’s founder, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
BNP Acting Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a press conference at the party’s central office in Nayapaltan today.
The announcement followed a joint meeting of the party at the same venue, chaired by Rizvi. Senior BNP leaders, joint secretaries, presidents and general secretaries of the party’s Dhaka north and south units, conveners and member secretaries, and leaders of its affiliated organisations attended the meeting.
The main programme will begin on September 1, the day the BNP was founded in 1978.
At 9am that day, Tarique Rahman will visit the graves of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia at Zia Udyan in Dhaka and offer prayers for the departed leaders.
The party will hold a discussion meeting on September 5 as part of the anniversary observance, Rizvi said.
BNP will also organise a fish-release programme on a suitable date under the leadership of Joint Secretary General Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel.
Another programme, a tree plantation campaign, will be led by Joint Secretary General and Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anne.
Rizvi said drafts of several other programmes have already been prepared and will be announced later after consultation with the party chairman.
The anniversary comes as the BNP seeks to consolidate its political position after returning to state power following years in opposition and a prolonged period of political confrontation.
At the press conference, Rizvi highlighted the political legacy of Ziaur Rahman, saying the BNP was founded around three principal commitments: independence, protection of national sovereignty and democracy.
Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP on September 1, 1978, nearly seven years after Bangladesh achieved independence. The party subsequently emerged as one of the country’s two dominant political forces, alternating in power with the Awami League and leading major opposition movements.
Rizvi said Ziaur Rahman played a role in inspiring people from different sections of society to join the Liberation War and later introduced multi-party democracy, which, according to him, created greater space for political parties and newspapers to operate.
The BNP has traditionally portrayed Zia’s political philosophy as centred on nationalism, sovereignty, economic development and democratic pluralism, while its opponents have contested aspects of that historical narrative.
The anniversary programme is therefore expected to serve not only as a commemoration of the party’s founding but also as an opportunity for the BNP to reinforce its political identity and present its interpretation of the country’s political history.
Government performance under scrutiny
Rizvi also responded to criticism from opposition parties over the government’s performance during its first 180 days in office.
He dismissed the criticism as a broad political allegation, arguing that assessments by economic institutions and other organisations monitoring government performance showed progress in several sectors.
According to Rizvi, the government has already presented its performance data to the public through briefings organised by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The BNP government faces pressure to demonstrate progress on the economy, employment, investment, public services and institutional reform after taking office following a period of political upheaval.
The party has also promised to address the economic and institutional challenges that accumulated during the previous administration, while restoring confidence in democratic institutions.
Rizvi said the government’s performance should be assessed on the basis of available data and concrete outcomes rather than political statements.
The five-day anniversary programme will provide the BNP with an opportunity to mobilise its organisational network across the country while highlighting the party’s history and its current political priorities.
With the BNP now leading the government, the 48th founding anniversary is also likely to carry a different significance from celebrations held during its years in opposition.
The party’s challenge will be to balance commemoration of its political heritage with the responsibilities of governing a country facing significant economic, social and institutional pressures.