No celebrations on Fakhrul's birthday

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stepped into 73 on Sunday. It was his 72nd birthday. He awoke with his daughter Shamaruh wishing him 'Happy Birthday Bapi'.

Leaders and activists of the BNP gathered at his Uttara residence to greet Mirza Fakhrul. He earlier forbade his party men not to greet him with flowers.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "Birthday means passing of another way from life. I am getting old day by day. My eldest daughter awoke me by making a phone call to wish me. Our leader has been languishing in jail. There is nothing to say about celebrating birthdays in such a situation."

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Rahat Ara Begum have two daughters. They live in a rented house in the city's Uttara. Elder daughter Mirza Shamaruh is a professor at the Biochemistry Department of Dhaka University. She is currently working as a post-doctoral fellow at a university in Sydney. Younger daughter Mirza Safaruh teaches at Sunnydale School in Dhaka.

Mirza Fakhrul was born on January 26, 1948 in Thakurgaon. After completing his honors and masters in economics from Dhaka University, he joined teaching. He was a teacher in the Economics Department at Dhaka College.

Mirza Fakhrul was the East Pakistan Chhatra Union President of Dhaka University Unit and was elected general secretary of the SM Hall Unit. He directly took part in the Liberation War. Quitting his job, he entered active politics in 1986.

After the death of Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Mirza Fakhrul became acting secretary general of the BNP in 2011. He assumed charge as general secretary at the national council of the BNP in 2016.