Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman -File photo

By Md. Manikul Azad
 
 DHAKA, Aug 31, 2026(BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is set to celebrate its 48th founding anniversary on Tuesday while political analysts and party veterans recalling its 1978 emergence marked by the historic 19-point programme, set out by its founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.
 
 The 19-point still remains as the party beacon because of its relevance nearly half a century ago. 
 
 Political archives suggest self reliance, rural development, and national unity were core goals of the charter while analysts said these remained as the party's socioeconomic and political blueprint or cornerstone.
 
 According to the political archives, the first of the 19 points stated that the country's "sovereignty" must be protected at all costs.
 
 The second one set out the four constitutional principles -- complete faith and trust in Almighty Allah, democracy, nationalism, and socialism (defined as social and economic justice) in all aspects of national life.
 
 The subsequent third and fourth points of the charter called for "self-reliance" and "peoples' participation" at all levels of administration, development programmes.

 The charter strongly sought to fully protect the rights of all citizens irrespective of religion, caste and creed and to strengthen national unity and solidarity.

 The 19-point then strongly acknowledged the need for agrarian Bangladesh's "agricultural growth" and proper "water management" in the low lying deltaic country to minimize damages of floods and drought.
 
 The charter thereafter focused on industrial development to accelerate industrial development and maximizing production in the sector.
 
 The subsequent point dealt with the issue of fulfilling peoples "basic needs" by ensuring the availability of food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care for all citizens and sought to free the country from the curse of illiteracy. 
  
 "Rural development" appeared as a major issue of the charter stressing the need for bridging gaps between the urban and rural areas with an aim to uplift the rural economy and decentralize the administration.
 
 The next point vigorously sought to stabilize the country's population size through an aggressive "population control" policy under family planning and reproductive healthcare programmes.
 
 The subsequent points were anti-corruption, human resource development, labour rights, civil service reform, land reform, private sector incentives and youth empowerment.
 
 The charter called for upholding "women's rights" particularly pointing out the crucial need for their incorporation in mainstream development alongside upholding their dignity, and socio-economic welfare.
 
 The charter sought to maintain friendly international relations based on equality, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in other nations' affairs and strengthen relations with Muslim countries.
 
 After his election to presidency Ziaur Rahman officially adopted the 19-point programme as its guiding principle and core socio-economic and political manifesto for his government.
 
 It has been 49 years since Ziaur Rahman announced his historic charter on April 30, 1977 and BNP visibly is now pursuing the same vision to attain the country's progress and development as it returned to power exhausting a state of political wilderness for years.