News Flash
DHAKA, June 4, 2026 (BSS) - Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman was a symbol of Bangladesh's independence, sovereignty and the individuality of its people.
"Ziaur Rahman, within a very short time, had created a unique national identity for the people of this land," he said.
Mirza Fakhrul, also BNP Secretary General, made the remarks while addressing as the chief guest a discussion and newspaper exhibition at the auditorium of the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) in the capital this morning.
The PIB and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organised the discussion titled "Ziaur Rahman's Independent Non-Aligned Diplomacy in the Present Context" marking the 45th martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, MP, chaired the programme, while Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) President Major General A N M Muniruzzaman (retd) presented the keynote paper.
Economist Dr Mushtaq Khan of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, spoke it as the special guest.
Editor of Bangladesh Defence Journal Abu Rushd and Executive Director of BRAIN Dr Shafikur Rahman took part as discussants.
PIB Director General Faruk Wasif moderated the programme.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "In 1971, when the people of the country were going through an extreme crisis and were expecting a declaration of war from their leader. As it did not come, then an ordinary major suddenly declared rebellion against Pakistan from Chattogram and started the war."
"We can never forgive Pakistani brutality because the Pakistani occupation forces burned village after village and indiscriminately killed people across this country in 1971," he added.
Referring to his personal experience, the minister said, "As a person born in 1948, I witnessed Pakistan and its exploitation and deprivation extensively. I closely observed the terrible war of 1971 and the brutality of the Pakistani forces as an organiser. That is why Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman is to me a unique and rare statesman who started the war by declaring the Liberation War."
Mentioning that BNP believes in liberal democracy, Mirza Fakhrul said, "BNP has always nurtured a liberal and multidimensional democratic politics. Ziaur Rahman's politics was about moving forward with everyone, not creating divisions."
"Coming into a devastated state structure and economy, he did not create any new divisions; rather, he first formed a front and later BNP by bringing together groups of all political thoughts," he continued.
Fakhrul went on, saying "The core issue of politics was reconciliation or moving forward together. He introduced this practice."
The minister further said, "Ziaur Rahman's politics was that he did not want Bangladesh to become anyone's enemy; rather, he tried to establish friendly and balanced diplomacy with all, and he succeeded in that."
"Following that continuity, incumbent Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is working to build the country as a self-reliant state outside the sphere of domination with the slogan 'Bangladesh First'," he noted.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Kamal Uddin Shabuj, Journalist Welfare Trust Managing Director Mohammad Abdul Basir (Basir Jamal), The Daily Financial Express Editor Shamsul Huq Zahid, BIPSS Senior Fellow Shafaqat Munir and North South University Professor Dr Wares Karim were present, among others.
