Shawdesh Desk:

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday chalked out a 13-day programme to observe the 42nd death anniversary of the party founder Ziaur Rahman.

The observance of the anniversary will begin on May 29 and end on June 10.

The programmes were finalised at a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies at its Naya Paltan central office with BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the chair.

After the meeting, Fakhrul announced the programmes that include discussion meetings, seminars, photo exhibitions and wearing black badges, paying homage to Zia, and distributing food and relief materials among the destitute.

Ziaur Rahman, a military-ruler-turned-president, founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 1978. He was assassinated by a group of army officers at Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, 1981.

As part of the programmes, black flags will be hoisted and party flags kept at half-mast atop the offices of the party, including its Naya Paltan headquarters, at 6am on May 30.

Besides, party leaders and activists, led by senior leaders, will place wreaths at Zia’s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the morning.

BNP and its associate bodies will arrange discussions on Zia’s activities, from May 29 to June 10 as part of the death anniversary programmes.

The party leaders of Dhaka’s south and north city units will distribute food and relief materials among the destitute in different parts of the city on May 30.

The party’s all district, city and thana units will also observe the day with various programmes.