Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced on Wednesday that approximately 198 BNP leaders and activists, including 49 members of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), lost their lives during the student-led mass movement against the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office following a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies, Fakhrul disclosed a five-day programme (August 31-September 4) to commemorate the 46th founding anniversary of the BNP on September 1. This programme will include rallies and discussions.
Fakhrul also mentioned that around 124 individuals are currently receiving treatment at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), with 90 of them being JCD leaders and activists. “We have made significant sacrifices in our struggle against the despotic rule of Sheikh Hasina, and our fight continues,” he stated.
JCD Honors Its Martyrs
The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the BNP, released a list of 49 leaders and activists who were killed during the student-led mass movement. JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib presented this list at a press conference at the BNP’s Nayapaltan office.
“Forty-nine members of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal have embraced martyrdom in this student-led mass uprising. Over a thousand students have been martyred in this movement,” Rakib said. He paid tribute to all martyrs, including the 49 JCD members, and extended condolences to their families. He also described the sacrifices made by the Chhatra Dal during the July-August protests as unprecedented.
Rakib emphasized that the JCD has been a staunch supporter of the quota reform movement from its inception, with leaders and activists playing a crucial role in intensifying the agitation under the anti-discrimination banner.
List of JCD Martyrs
The JCD’s list of martyrs includes Wasim Akram of Chittagong College, Arifur Rahman Russell of Dhaka City (East) Chhatra Dal unit, Mahbub Alam of Sherpur Government College, Sabuj Miah of Sreebordi Government College in Sherpur, and many others from across the country.
JCD’s Commitment to Non-Violence and Positive Politics
JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib strongly asserted that the JCD is not involved in any form of anarchy or disorder. “Chhatra Dal has endured torture and persecution for the past 15 and a half years. None of our leaders are involved in illegal activities or violence,” he said.
JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir reiterated the organization’s commitment to positive politics. “We believe that the future of politics lies in positivity, and we intend to continue the contest of positive politics with all student organizations,” Nasir stated. He emphasized the importance of student politics for ensuring healthy political practices and securing students’ rights on campuses.
BNP’s 46th Founding Anniversary Programme
The BNP has announced a series of events to mark its 46th founding anniversary. Discussions will be held across all cities, districts, and upazilas on August 31. On September 1, the party flag will be hoisted at the Nayapaltan central office and other BNP offices nationwide, followed by a prayer and wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman in Dhaka at 11:00 AM. The Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JASAS) will also organize a cultural programme at the Central Shaheed Minar in the evening.
On September 2, rallies will be held in all cities, districts, and upazilas. On September 3, fish fries will be released in water bodies across the country, and a tree plantation campaign will be launched on September 4.
BNP’s associate bodies and their units nationwide will also organize their own programmes to mark the anniversary, and special posters and supplements will be published by the BNP and its associated bodies.
On September 1, 1978, Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP with a 19-point programme aimed at building a self-reliant Bangladesh. Since then, the BNP has ruled the country for several term