BNP marks 47th anniv today, announces 6-day programme

Today marks the 47th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The party has planned a series of programmes across the country, including events in the capital, to commemorate the occasion.

BNP has announced a six-day programme that includes flag hoisting, paying tribute at the mausoleum of Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, district- and city-level discussion sessions and rallies, a colorful procession from Nayapaltan, local programs in upazilas and municipalities, tree planting, fish release, free medical camps, sports events, and a roundtable discussion in Dhaka. The party has also released special posters and supplements to mark the anniversary.

In a message on the occasion, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman said the party was founded to unite people under nationalist ideals. He described the day as one of joy, enthusiasm, and inspiration for the people of Bangladesh, while noting that after independence, one-party rule had stifled democracy. He added that Shaheed Ziaur Rahman had revived multi-party democracy and restored citizens’ freedoms.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also highlighted that on 1 September 1978, Ziaur Rahman established BNP to restore multi-party democracy and safeguard national independence and sovereignty. He praised Khaleda Zia for her courage in leading movements during periods of misrule, paid tribute to BNP leaders and activists who have lost their lives since the party’s founding, and prayed for their souls.

Following the recent 5 August student and public uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government, BNP is celebrating its 47th anniversary in a comparatively favorable political environment.

BNP was formally announced on 1 September 1978 at a press conference in Ramna, Dhaka, by the late President Ziaur Rahman. Since its founding, the party has come to power four times and led significant political movements. Over the past one and a half decades, its leaders and activists have continued protests demanding the fall of authoritarian governments.

After Ziaur Rahman’s assassination in 1981, Khaleda Zia assumed party leadership. Under her guidance, BNP opposed Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s regime and returned to power in 1991 with overwhelming public support. The party later came to power in 1996 and 2001. Currently, acting chairman Tarique Rahman is leading BNP and working to reorganize the party.

Following the recent public uprising, BNP faces both new opportunities and challenges. Key issues for the party include maintaining the anti-authoritarian alliance, ensuring a free and fair parliamentary election under the interim government, winning the confidence of young voters, implementing the “July Charter,” and managing the complex relationship with long-standing ally Jamaat-e-Islami.