BNP Chief Khaleda slammed for standing on the main platform at Central Shaheed Minar

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has come under fire for stepping onto the main platform at the Central Shaheed Minar alongwith other BNP leaders while paying respects to the Language martyrs.

Dhaka University Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 21 Feb 2017, 06:05 AM
Updated : 21 Feb 2017, 07:56 AM

The incident ‘desecrated’ the monument,  said  Dhaka University Teachers Association President Prof ASM Maksud.

Maksud is also the coordinator of the 21st February and International Mother Language Day Observance Committee.

President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid their respects to the Language martyrs early on Feb 21.

The prime minister and other Awami League leaders then placed wreaths on the Shaheed Minar platform.  They were followed by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhary, Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah and Leader of the Opposition Raushan Ershad.

The two mayors of Dhaka, the heads of the three armed forces, the police chief, diplomats, the 14-party alliance, Sector Commanders Forum, and the attorney general paid floral tributes.

According to custom, they all stood barefoot on the second, lower platform of the Shaheed Minar while paying their respects. Members of the Rover Scout arranged the flowers on the main platform.

Once state leaders had finished paying their respects, the venue was opened to the public.

A BNP delegation led by Khaleda Zia arrived at the Shaheed Minar to pay their respects at 1:25am.

The Rover Scouts escorted the delegation to the front amidst the rush, where they stepped onto the main platform.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mahbubur Rahman, Abdul Moin Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan accompanied Khaleda Zia.

February 21 Observance Committee Coordinator Prof ASM Mahmud expressed his shock and distress at the incident.

“It is unacceptable for those in power and those who declare themselves national leaders to disrespect the Shaheed Minar in this way,” he said. “They should know the procedures for how and where to place wreaths.”

An altercation had broken out between BNP activists and volunteers during Khaleda Zia’s tribute last year. The BNP had blamed police and supporters of the ruling party for that incident.

The government is trying to smear the BNP' image over the incident, said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

“BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia placed her wreath to commemorate the Language martyrs at the appropriate place. Our activists did not go anywhere the university authorities, the media and the scouts did not go.”

“Please see who raises these complaints and tries to smear us - the ruling party’s intellectuals. They spread propaganda and try to smear our image.”

There were no altercations this year so the government’s supporters were trying to drum up controversy in other ways, Rizvi said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul told the media he was satisfied with the arrangements at the Shaheed Minar this year.