BNP on Tuesday chalked out various programs to observe the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, marking what it said “Civil-military uprising on November 7, 1975”.
BNP acting Office Secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince announced the programs at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.
As part of the programs, he said their party flag will be hoisted atop its all offices across the country on the morning of November 7 while BNP leaders and activists, led by party standing committee members, will place wreaths and arrange Quran recitation at the grave of late president and party founder Ziaur Rahman at 11am.
Besides, the leaders of Dhaka south city unit will place wreaths at Zia’s grave at 12pm while the north city unit at 12:30pm, maintaining social distancing rules.
The party will also arrange a virtual discussion at 3pm, marking the day.
Besides, BNP’s associate bodies will hold various programs, including discussions, cultural programs, photo exhibition and publishing supplements in newspapers.
Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians on November 7, 1975 jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.
While BNP and its alliances celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of “killing of freedom fighters”. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.
Emran Saleh Prince said their party has taken programs on a limited scale to observe the “historic November 7” due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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He said people are going to observe the day in an extremely difficult time since the government has imposed “misrule” on the country by “snatching” democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and freedom of the press and all the fundamental rights.
“Hooliganism has been established by taking away the ownership of the country from people and sending elections and democracy into exile. People now have no security of their lives,” the BNP leader observed.
He said those who raise their voice against the ruling party’s limitless failures, corruption, plundering, grabbing, irregularities, and injustice are being subjected to murder, enforced disappearance and repressive acts.
Referring to the rescue of Chittagong-based journalist Golam Sarwar from a roadside canal near the Kumira Bazar in Sitakunda, Prince said it is a proof of horrible “medieval barbarism” and how journalists are persecuted in the country for publishing news.
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“Journalist Golam Sarwar was abducted as he published reports on land grabbing, irregularities, corruption, and torture by influential ruling party men. This is not an isolated incident. This is a continuation of the repression by the ruling party on dissidents,” he observed.
The BNP leader strongly condemned and protested the incident, and demanded immediate arrest of the offenders and their exemplary punishment.