BNP marks 47 years with a legacy of sacrifice, pride, nationalism

 

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Monday stepped into 47-year with a legacy of sacrifice, pride, nationalism as it was always at the helm of the nation's pursuit of democracy, human rights, and voting rights of the people.

The chronicle of Bangladesh is not merely a tale of motherland's birth, it is a profound narrative of sacrifice, defiance, and an unwavering march in defense of justice. At every critical juncture, when the Bengali nation stood on the crossroad of survival, when democracy was disgraced, or when the people were lost their liberty, BNP took lead to return freedom and sovereignty to the countrymen by forming resistance.

In 1975, following the establishment of a one-party BAKSAL regime resulting in political vacuum, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, the Proclaimer of Independence and Sector Commander in the War of Liberation, founded this new political party, BNP on 1 September 1978 under the banyan tree in Ramna, Dhaka, with the goal of establishing multiparty democracy.

Owing to various programs undertaken for changing people's fate, BNP's founder President Zia quickly rose in popularity. After his assassination by a group of misguided military personnel at Chattogram Circuit House on May 30, 1981, his spouse Begum Khaleda Zia entered politics. 

Rising from a housewife to a stateswoman, her firm leadership gave BNP a new direction. Her uncompromising stance on the streets hastened the fall of autocrat Ershad.

During the authoritarian rule of the Awami League, Begum Khaleda Zia was imprisoned in 2018 under a so-called corruption case. Since then, Tarique Rahman has taken the helm of the party. Through reorganizing the party, accelerating the movement, involving the youth in politics, and introducing new strategies, he continues to move the party forward.