Rooted into soil, Zia’s politics is for dignity, prosperity

BNP Vice-Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury addressing a discussion on Shaheed Zia on his 89th birth anniversary at the National press Club on Monday 27 Jan 2025.

Speakers at a discussion meeting on the War of Liberation and Shaheed Zia marking his 89th birth anniversary said on Monday that Zia’s politics was rooted deep into the soil of Bangladesh and always sought to safeguard its independence and sovereignty.

The discussion meeting was organized by the Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Dal at the Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club. They said Ziaur Rahman not only declared the War of Liberation and fought heroically for the independence of the country but also emerged as its savior when democracy was exiled, economy ruined and the independence and sovereignty undermined.

BNP Vice-Chairman and former minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury was the chief guest at the function held with Sangskritik Dal president Humayun Kabir CVhowdhury in the chair. BNP joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokan, GreenWatch Dhaka editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder, former president of Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha, Rezabuddaulah Chowdhury,  Cultural worker Babul Ahmed, Barrister Anwar Hossain, SM Mizanur Rahman, Maniruzzaman Munir, leader of the Hindu, Boudha, Christian Kalyan Parishad and student leader of 1990 Babu Suranjan Ghosh spoke at the discussion among others.

Nitai Roy Chowdhury said that the people of Bangladesh never accepted foreign dominance. People from far flung lands came to Bangladesh by being attracted by its wealth and prosperity, the people of this country never went to other lands in the past.

Awami League is force of retreat and surrender and not of independence and sovereignty which is the essence of BNP. Through Bangladeshi Nationalism BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman wanted to establish unity in diversity, he said.

In this context Nitai Roy Chowdhury said whereas after independence the Leader of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah urged citizens to forget their religious identities as Muslims, Hindus and Christians and regard themselves as Pakistanis and Indian leader Jawaherlal Nehru called upon his people to identify themselves as Indians, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked all people of Bangladesh to become Bangalees.  

He said that BNP fought for 15 years, thousands were killed, disappeared or jailed and through this process the Interim Government came to power. If this government loses neutrality conspirators will take the space, he warned. 

The BNP leader said that reforms can only be effected through the passage of bills in Parliament. At present indiscipline and disorder prevailed in the country and Police force was not working properly. If elected, BNP will restore order within a month. Election is needed for this. BNP fought for democracy for 15 years and wants to see the victory of democracy in the country, he added.

Khairul Kabir Khokan said that BNP does not treat the Interim Government as its competitor and continues to support it in its pursuit of carrying out reforms, But reforms cannot continue for an indefinite period nor can they be executed without an elected Parliament. The interim government should speedily complete reforms and call elections for the people to elect their own government.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder said that Shaheed Zia’s politics originated from the soil of Bangladesh and repeated efforts to destroy the party only further strengthened it because of its strong popular base. His politics stood for multi-party democracy as against autocracy, press freedom as against gagging the press and human rights as against repression. His politics was for economic emancipation and safeguarding the country’s independence and sovereignty. This explains that tyremendous treasure of love the people have for the party.

Razabuddaulah Chowdhiury narrated how Zia dreamt of building a prosperous Bangladesh by utilizing the latent lalents and the country’s resources. – GreenWatch Dhaka News Desk.