BNP on Sunday announced a two-day programme to observe the Great Independence and National Day on March 26.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programmes at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office.

As part of the programmes, the party will hoist the national and party flags at all its offices, including the central one, in the morning.

On the day, the President and the Prime Minister will place wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar, paying tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War. 

BNP leaders and activists will also pay homage there on behalf of the party.

From the National Memorial, party leaders and activists will go to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to place wreaths at the graves of the party’s founder and former President Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

A doa mahfil will also be held on the grave premises organised by the Jatiyatabadi Olama Dal.

On March 25, BNP will hold a discussion meeting at 2:30pm at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

Speaking at the press conference, Rizvi, who is also the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Industry, said the  Independence and National Day is a major milestone in the nation’s history as independence has given Bangladesh a distinct identity on the world map and among the international community.

He said the day is highly significant le as independence was achieved through long struggle and sacrifice, reaching its goal on March 26.

Rizvi also said then Major Ziaur Rahman’s declaration of independence inspired people from all walks of life — students, workers, farmers and general citizens — to join the Liberation War.

He said BNP has taken the elaborate programmes to observe the day with due respect to the sacrifices made during the Liberation War.

The BNP leader said the party has already published a poster marking Independence Day and will bring out special supplements in national dailies on the occasion.

In addition to the central two-day programme, Rizvi said BNP units at district and municipal levels will organise discussion meetings and other events, while its associate and affiliated bodies will also draw up and implement their own programmes.

He called upon leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations to make the programmes a success.