BNP ends controversy over Khaleda Zia’s birthday observance

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 14:18, Aug 16, 2019 | Updated : 14:25, Aug 16, 2019

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia attends a rally in Dhaka January 20, 2014.  REUTERS/File PhotoTo avoid any controversy over the 75th birth anniversary of Khaleda Zia, BNP decided to observe her birthday on 16 August, instead of 15 August, the national day of mourning.

BNP chairperson was born in 1975 but there is controversy over her real birth date.

Khaleda Zia’s father Eskander Mazumdar came from Feni but lived in Dinajpur and Khaleda Zia was born there. In 1960, she was married to Ziaur Rahman.

Several books mention 15 August as her birthday.

At the order of acting party chairman, Tarique Rahman, in London, the 75th birth anniversary will be held on 16 August.

That order was sent to all party units by BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Today, Aug 16, milad and prayers have been arranged seeking her recovery from illness and long life.

BNP Joint Organisational Secretary Advocate Abdus Salam Azad said: “Khaleda Zia is in prison after being implicated in a false case and to protest this, we decided to observe the birthday a day later.”

In 2014, Khaleda Zia observed her birthday on 15 August by cutting a 50 pound cake; in 2016, she cancelled the cake cutting due to floods and to protest disappearances and killings. On her 74th birthday, she was in a prison in Nazim Uddin Road.

During a party meeting held in 2016, a decision was taken not to cut the cake on 15 August to avoid controversy.

At a press conference in 2016, Khaleda Zia asked to keep national leaders like Bangabandhu, A K Fazlul Huq, moulana Bhashani and Ziaur Rahman above controversy.

BNP standing committee member, Jamir Uddin Sirkar, said: “from madam’s 70th birthday, a decision was taken not to cut any cakes; instead, a decision was taken to hold milad and prayers at Zia’s mausoleum.”

Law Minister Anisul Huq attends a programme held on the occasion of National Mourning Day at Brahmanbaria on Friday (Aug 16).In response to queries media on the issue at programme held in Brahmanbaria’s Akhaura on Friday, Law Minister Anisul Huq said that Khaleda Zia had also celebrated her birthday on different dates in the past and he had no idea why Aug 16 should be observed as her 75th birthday all of a sudden.

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