Prime Minister Tareque Rahman, accompanied by senior party leaders, laid wreaths and paid tribute at the graves of martyred President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) 48th founding anniversary. He paid his respects around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
This year’s founding anniversary of the party, established by martyred President Ziaur Rahman on September 1, 1978, arrives in a very different political environment. Following the death of party chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, her son Tareque Rahman now holds the position of BNP chairman. Under his leadership, the party currently runs the government.
Over 48 years marked by political ups and downs, movements and struggles, and shifts in power, BNP is this time observing its founding anniversary while in state power. Carrying forward the political legacy of founder Ziaur Rahman and longtime chairperson Khaleda Zia, the party has now entered a new political chapter under Tareque Rahman’s leadership.
BNP has announced a five-day program to mark the founding anniversary. Alongside the central program, district, metropolitan and party units across the country will also observe various events. The programs include flag-hoisting at party offices, tribute at the graves of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, discussion meetings, a colorful rally, tree planting, fish release, cultural programs, free medical camps and sporting events.
The party flag was hoisted this morning at 6 a.m. at BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan, as well as at party offices nationwide.
To mark the founding anniversary, a discussion meeting titled “The Purpose and Significance of BNP’s Founding” will be held at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh auditorium in the capital at 3 p.m. on September 5. BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tareque Rahman will attend as chief guest. Senior party leaders and prominent national intellectuals will also take part. Tree-planting and fish-release programs have also been arranged to mark the anniversary. BNP joint secretary general Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel will lead the fish-release program. Party joint secretary general and Water Resources Minister Shahiuddin Chowdhury Annie will lead the tree-planting program. District and metropolitan BNP units and their affiliated organizations nationwide will hold discussion meetings and other programs at convenient times.
In a message marking the founding anniversary, BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tareque Rahman greeted and congratulated party leaders and activists at all levels, supporters, well-wishers and the people of the country.
In his message, Tareque Rahman said the 48th founding anniversary of BNP, Bangladesh’s most popular political party, marking its courage, struggle, sacrifice and success, brings joy, enthusiasm and inspiration to the people of the country. He said martyred President Ziaur Rahman founded BNP in Dhaka’s Ramna area on September 1, 1978. He said BNP’s founding was a watershed event in the history of restoring democracy in Bangladesh.
On this founding anniversary, Tareque Rahman remembered BNP’s founding chairman, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, with deep reverence. He also remembered his mother, former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, with reverence. He said Khaleda Zia, through her leadership and political wisdom, had brought BNP to every household in Bangladesh.
The founding of BNP on September 1, 1978, marked the beginning of a new political stream in the country’s politics. Martyred President Ziaur Rahman was the party’s founding chairman. Guided by the principles of independence, sovereignty and democracy, he organized BNP. The party later became one of the country’s leading political forces.
Following Ziaur Rahman’s death in a failed military coup in Chattogram on May 30, 1981, BNP faced a leadership crisis. His wife, Khaleda Zia, then took charge of the party on February 21, 1983. Over her long political career, she led BNP to form the government multiple times and established herself as one of the country’s leading political figures.
However, during the Awami League government, Khaleda Zia was arrested and sentenced to prison in a corruption case on February 8, 2018. After more than two years in prison, she was released following the student-public movement. After a period in London for treatment, she returned home and died in late 2025 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka.
Following Khaleda Zia’s death, a new chapter began in BNP’s leadership. The party is currently running the government under the leadership of party chairman and Prime Minister Tareque Rahman. Having returned to government after 17 long years out of power, this year’s observance of the founding anniversary carries special significance for the party.
In his message, Tareque Rahman said every BNP leader, activist, supporter and well-wisher must dedicate themselves to serving the motherland while preserving the people’s trust and confidence. He said the BNP government wants to repay the people’s love by establishing a state accountable to the people. He said the government is working toward establishing Bangladesh as a welfare state.
According to BNP, whenever democracy, independence and sovereignty have faced threats in the country, the party’s leaders and activists have played a role in movements and struggles. On this founding anniversary, those who gave their lives or were injured in the movement for democracy and good governance since the party’s founding are also being remembered with deep reverence.