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BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday paid tribute to party founder Ziaur Rahman and his late mother and former BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, marking the party’s 48th founding anniversary.
Tarique, the eldest son of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, placed wreaths at their graves in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 9:20am, accompanied by senior party leaders. He later offered Fateha and joined a munajat seeking eternal peace for their departed souls.
BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Standing Committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Ismail Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Aman Ullah Aman, Farhad Halim Donar and Ismail Zabihullah were among those present. Joint Secretaries General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee also attended.
BNP and its affiliated organisations are observing the anniversary with various programmes across the country. The party flag was hoisted at BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan and other party offices in the morning.
Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP on September 1, 1978, with a 19-point programme aimed at building a self-reliant Bangladesh. He served as the party’s chairman, followed by Khaleda Zia and later Tarique Rahman.
This year’s anniversary is particularly significant as it is the first since BNP returned to power under Tarique Rahman’s leadership and the first without Khaleda Zia, who died on December 30, 2025.
The BNP has announced a five-day programme to mark the occasion. A central discussion will be held, while district, metropolitan and upazila units will organise separate events.
The party and its affiliated organisations will also hold tree plantation and fish-release programmes. Posters have been published and newspapers have brought out special supplements to mark the anniversary.
Tarique Rahman and Rizvi, in separate messages, extended greetings to the people of Bangladesh as well as BNP leaders, activists, supporters and well-wishers.
Ziaur Rahman formed BNP after first establishing the Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal (Jagdal) and the Jatiyatabadi Front. The BNP was formally launched at Ramna Restaurant in Dhaka on September 1, 1978.