Zia’s 90th birth anniv today
Staff Reporter :
Today is the 90th birth anniversary of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam—the proclaimer of Bangladesh’s independence and founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), architect of multiparty democracy, and a key builder of modern Bangladesh.
President Ziaur Rahman was born on January 19, 1936, in Bagbari village of Nashipur Union under Gabtoli upazila in Bogura district.
He was the second of five sons of Chemist Mansur Rahman and Jahanara Khatun, and was affectionately known as “Kamol” within his family.
Following the historic events of November 7, 1975, Ziaur Rahman emerged at the centre of state power.
He later founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on September 1, 1978. The former president was assassinated on May 30, 1981, by a group of misguided army personnel.
The BNP is observing the birth anniversary of its founder with a two-day programme beginning today.
As part of the observance, party flags will be hoisted at the BNP central office and all party offices across the country at dawn.
Tomorrow at 11:00 am, leaders and activists from all levels, including members of the BNP National Standing Committee, will place wreaths and offer ‘Fatiha’ at the mausoleum of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
To commemorate the occasion, the Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) will organise a free medical camp.
A discussion programme will be held at 11:00 am on January 20 at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB) auditorium in Kakrail, Dhaka, with the participation of senior BNP leaders and prominent national figures.
At the same time, BNP and its affiliated and front organisations will arrange discussion meetings and ‘dua mahfils’ at district, metropolitan, upazila, and thana levels throughout the country.
Posters have been printed, and several national dailies will publish special supplements tomorrow marking the anniversary.
Ziaur Rahman, who served as commander of the “Z Force” and Sector 1 during the Liberation War, is remembered with deep respect for his historic and unforgettable contributions to the nation.
His uncompromising patriotism, firm commitment to democratic values, and profound love for the country and its people earned him widespread admiration, establishing him as a truly iconic national leader. His leadership played a decisive role in shaping Bangladesh’s political destiny.
He spent part of his childhood in Kolkata, where his father worked as a scientific officer under the British government. Ziaur Rahman studied up to class seven at the historic Hare School, one of Kolkata’s oldest and most prestigious educational institutions.
After the Partition of 1947, he moved with his family to Karachi, where he continued his studies at DJ Sindh Government Science College.
While pursuing his education, he joined the Pakistan Military Academy as an officer cadet in 1953 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant after completing commando training in 1955.
In April 1967, he joined the second batch of the East Bengal Regiment at Joydebpur Sub-Cantonment as second-in-command and later that year underwent advanced military training in West Germany.
In September 1970, he was posted to Chittagong (now Chattogram), with his base at Sholoshahar Bazar. Following the brutal crackdown by Pakistani occupation forces on March 25, 1971, Ziaur Rahman joined the Liberation War.
On one of the darkest days in the nation’s history, his historic declaration—“I, Major Zia, do hereby declare”—instilled hope and courage among millions to rise in armed resistance.
Putting aside personal comforts and family life, he devoted himself fully to organising the armed struggle, forming the Z Force and serving as commander of Sector 1 during the early phase of the war. In recognition of his exceptional bravery, he was awarded the gallantry title of Bir Uttam.
Despite repeated changes in state power following August 1975, Ziaur Rahman remained committed to fulfilling the responsibilities entrusted to him amid severe instability within the armed forces.
During the army turmoil on November 3, 1975, he was confined to his residence, but was freed on November 7 through the historic sepoy–people uprising, after which he was assigned the responsibility of leading the state.
Upon assuming office, Ziaur Rahman restored multiparty democracy by dismantling the one-party BAKSAL system introduced through the Fourth Amendment in January 1975, which had curtailed press freedom.
Through the Fifth Amendment, he reinstated freedom of the press and expression.
He formally assumed the presidency on April 21, 1977, and was elected President on June 23, 1978, defeating Awami League-backed candidate and Liberation War Commander-in-Chief General M A G Osmani by a significant margin in what was widely regarded as a free, fair, and competitive election.
Ziaur Rahman revitalised political life in Bangladesh, founded the BNP, and introduced the party’s 19-point programme, outlining a new development-oriented political vision.
He moved swiftly to restore law and order, curb corruption, and suppress criminal activities, including robbery and hijacking, successfully rebuilding public confidence within a short period.
On May 30, 1981, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in a failed military coup, ending a life dedicated to national service but leaving behind a lasting legacy in Bangladesh’s political history.