The 49th anniversary of the ‘civil-military uprising’ of November 7, 1975 will be observed today while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party will observe the day as ‘national revolution and solidarity day’.
On this day in 1975, amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly overthrew the then government and freed the then chief of army staff, Ziaur Rahman, from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the way for Zia to come to state power.
On October 31, the BNP announced a 10-day programme to mark the day.
Besides, BNP’s associate bodies and all units will also hold various programmes, including discussions, cultural programmes, essay competitions, photo exhibitions and publishing supplements in newspapers, across the country to mark the day with due respect.
As part of the programmes, the party flag will be hoisted atop all its offices across the country on Thursday morning.
BNP leaders and activists, led by party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will place wreaths and offer fateha at the grave of their party founder, ex-president Ziaur Rahman, in Dhaka at 11:00am.
The BNP will also bring out a procession from in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office at 4:00pm on November 8. The party has already completed the necessary preparations to ensure massive participation from its rank and file in the rally.
Similar processions will also be brought out in each of the divisions of the country.
The party’s cultural organisation Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha will organise a cultural programme at the Central Shaheed Minar at 6:00pm today.
All factions of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal will observe the day as the ‘civil-military uprising day’.
ASM Abdur Rob-led JSD will hold a discussion at its party office in Dhaka today. Â The Hasanul Haque Inu-led faction took no programme this year as the party president was arrested following the August 5 student-mass uprising and now remained in jail.
In a message given on the eve of the day, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman said, ‘November 7 is an unforgettable day of national life.’
On this day in 1975, the soldiers came down on the streets in an indomitable force with the conviction of protecting national independence and reviving the lost democracy, he said.
‘Therefore, the historical revolution of November 7 is of immense importance…the then ruling group jeopardized the national independence for their own interests and pushed the country to an unknown destination,’ he added.