The BNP is the largest political party in Bangladesh. Ziaur Rahman is the founder of this political party and he is considered the nation’s “proclaimer of independence.” He was a sector commander during the Liberation War and was awarded the Bir Uttam gallantry award.
As a statesman, Ziaur Rahman will be forever remembered for ending one-party rule and introducing a multi-party democratic system in Bangladesh. The BNP has come to power five times through democratic elections.
Political observers believe that the party will achieve a landslide victory in the upcoming February election.
The BNP, founded by Ziaur Rahman, a great soldier of the Liberation War, has been a repeated target of conspiracy. He was assassinated in a bid to destroy his ideals.
However, it is now a proven truth that a person who holds a place in the hearts of the people cannot be erased. Under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia, the party has transformed into the people's party despite adverse conditions. For over a decade and a half, the party's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, has earned a place in the hearts of the people by leading movements against fascism and autocracy.
The Great Liberation War transformed Ziaur Rahman from an unknown army officer into a national hero. When the Pakistani occupation forces began genocide in Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman and his regiment rebelled against Pakistani rule on 26 March, 1971. The next day, on 27 March, he declared the independence of Bangladesh from the Kalurghat radio station in Chattogram.
His proclamation was as follows: "I, Major Zia, temporary Supreme Commander of the Bangladesh Liberation Army, hereby declare the independence of Bangladesh on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I also declare that we have already formed a sovereign and legitimate government under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This government is committed to abiding by the law and the constitution in the administration of the state. The new democratic government is committed to a non-aligned policy in international relations. This government seeks friendship with all countries and will strive for international peace. I appeal to all governments to build public opinion in their respective countries against the brutal genocide in Bangladesh. The government formed under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the sovereign and legitimate government of Bangladesh and this government reserves the right to receive recognition from all democratic countries of the world."
Ziaur Rahman's patriotism and courage placed him at the forefront of the Liberation War. As the temporary Supreme Commander of the Liberation Army, Major Zia put up a strong resistance against the Pakistani occupation forces. His armed forces controlled the Chattogram and Noakhali regions for several days. Later, in the face of an all-out offensive by the Pakistani army, they crossed the border and adopted a strategy to reorganize themselves.
Ziaur Rahman played a vital role in leading the Liberation War. He was considered a trusted figure by the Provisional Government of Bangladesh formed during the war. Until June 1971, Ziaur Rahman was the commander of Sector 1. Later, as the head of the 'Z' Force named after him, Ziaur Rahman became known as a brave warrior. He was awarded the Bir Uttam title for his immense courage during the war.
In post-liberation Bangladesh, Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. On 25 August, 1975, Ziaur Rahman was appointed Chief of Army Staff. On 3 November, 1975, Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf, with the help of the Dhaka Brigade, staged a military coup, placing Army Chief Major General Ziaur Rahman under house arrest. This created intense resentment among the ordinary soldiers. Public anxiety about the country's independence and sovereignty arose, and there was a great deal of anger in the army. He was freed in the Sepoy-People's Revolution on 7 November. This great revolution brought Ziaur Rahman, the Proclaimer of Independence, to the center of political power. He emerged as a national leader in addition to being a military commander. After coming to power, Ziaur Rahman decided to lead the country toward democracy. For this purpose, on 30 April, 1977, he announced his historic 19-point program. Based on this, a political organization named Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal (JAGODAL) was formed.
Ahead of the parliamentary elections, Ziaur Rahman announced the formation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on 1 September, 1978. At the time of the BNP's establishment as a political party, the nation was highly divided. This division was not only based on right and left political ideologies but also on whether people participated in the Liberation War or not, or as pro- and anti-liberation forces. This division also spread to the national level. The BNP's goal was to overcome this division and unite the warring social forces so that the entire nation could work as a single entity. The BNP's leadership at the time of its founding consisted of young and middle-aged individuals, which made the party very appealing to the youth.
Businesspeople and industrialists were also attracted to the party, as it sought to involve private enterprise in business and trade. The country's intellectuals were also drawn to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party due to its efforts to establish national unity and its pursuit of an independent foreign policy. The BNP also won the hearts of the people for its Islamic values. The achievements of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are numerous. Through the efforts of statesman Ziaur Rahman, the path to multi-party democracy was paved in Bangladesh. Freedom of the press was ensured in the country. A new sense of professionalism was felt and became effective within the armed forces. New programs were undertaken to establish national unity. Private enterprise was closely involved in the production system to revitalize the national economy. A new horizon opened up in international relations, and the foundation for mutual cooperation in South Asia was laid during this period.
On 3 June, 1978, Ziaur Rahman was elected president of Bangladesh. After President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated by some misguided army members in Chattogram on 30 May, 1981, Justice Abdus Sattar, as the BNP candidate, was elected president on 15 November, 1981.
In the general elections on 27 February, 1991, the BNP, under the leadership of Ziaur Rahman's wife, Begum Khaleda Zia, emerged as the single majority party and formed the government. In the general elections held on 1 October, 2001, the BNP won 193 out of 300 seats and came to power again. The upcoming general election in February holds the promise of another great victory for the BNP, an election for which the country’s 18 crore people are waiting.
The writer is BNP’s joint secretary, former member of parliament, and former DUCSU general secretary.
