Kamal's old house in Bagbari, the birthplace of Ziaur Rahman

The house in Bogra, birthplace of BNP founder and martyred President Ziaur Rahman, has stood as a testament to the passage of time. Despite leading the nation, Ziaur Rahman remained a man of the people. At 129 years old, the house endures as a memorial to his legacy and has the potential to become a historically significant museum for future generations.
One of the notable figures born in Bogra is martyred President Ziaur Rahman Kamal. The young boy who grew up in the rural mud and land of the village eventually rose to become the leader of Bangladesh. Ziaur Rahman distinguished himself through his talent, vision, sacrifice, and deep love for his country. Under his leadership, Bangladesh achieved food self-sufficiency, expanded irrigation, boosted production, accelerated development, and created jobs to reduce dependency. He also succeeded in slowing the population growth rate and improving the nation's infrastructure, including the excavation of 1,400 canals with government support to enhance the irrigation system.
Martyred President Ziaur Rahman was born on January 19, 1936, in Bagbari village, located in the Gabtoli upazila of Bogra district. His father, Mansur Rahman Mandal, and his mother, Jahanara Khatun, were his parents. Ziaur Rahman's ancestors constructed a two-story brick house in 1895, which still stands today as a symbol of his heritage. The house, marked with the name "Ziabari, Bagbari, Bogra" at its entrance, features a two-story structure on the west side. The construction date of the house, "22nd Ashadh 1302, 1895," is inscribed on the front.
Currently, the house is maintained by Rokeya Talukdar, a relative of the Zia family, along with others, and is renovated annually. Inside the house, there are several pieces of furniture from Zia's era, including a bed, a dressing table, and other items. However, the bed where Ziaur Rahman once slept, along with a buttoned mosquito net and a glass from the zamindar period, are now preserved in the Chittagong Museum. The house also contains a special room where valuable items were stored for safekeeping. Behind the house is a pond with a ghat, and in front, there is a spacious open area. The Sarobar canal on the eastern side of the house was dug by Ziaur Rahman during his time in power to irrigate the surrounding agricultural land. The house was not rebuilt but preserved to honor and remember Zia's legacy.
Rokeya Talukder, the wife of the late Bachchu Talukder, a member of the Zia family, shared with this reporter, "He became my uncle-in-law. I was fortunate enough to meet him once. Many BNP leaders and supporters from various districts across the country have visited the house."
Engineer Razzakul Amin Rokon Talukder, chairman of Nashipur Union in Gabtoli Upazila, explained that Ziaur Rahman's grandfather, Pandit Kamal Uddin Mandal, came to Bagbari and married Michirun Nesa, the daughter of a prominent zamindar family, starting a family there. They had seven sons and two daughters, with Mansur Rahman being the fifth of the seven sons. Mansur Rahman later married Jahanara Khatun (Queen), from a noble family, and together they had Ziaur Rahman Kamal, born on January 19, 1936. "Kamal" was Zia's family nickname, and he was the second child of his parents, with five brothers.VP Saiful Islam, former president of the Bogra District BNP and member of the Central Executive Committee, praised Ziaur Rahman for his dedication to the people, stating that he worked to make every family in the country self-sufficient. Rezaul Karim Badsha, president of the Bogra District BNP, emphasized that Ziaur Rahman was not just the founder of the BNP, but also the eighth president of Bangladesh, a former army chief, and a heroic freedom fighter. He added that Zia’s house should be regarded with great respect and suggested that it could be preserved as a museum for future generations.
Translated by Mazdud