BNP chief Khaleda Zia to attend Armed Forces Day event after 12 years

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia plans to attend the Armed Forces Day reception at the Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment in what would be her first appearance at the event in 12 years.

If her health permits, she is expected to be there on Thursday, Khaleda’s physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain told bdnews24.com on Wednesday,

The authorities have been told to take appropriate measures about the former prime minister’s participation, added Zahid who is also a policymaking Standing Committee member.

On Tuesday night, Chief of General Staff of the Army Lt Gen Mizanur Rahman Shamim and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen ASM Kamrul Ahsan personally delivered the invitation letter to the BNP chief.

This year’s Armed Forces Day programme will take place at 4pm on Thursday at the Senakunja.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to attend as the chief guest, along with political leaders, administrative officials, business figures, diplomats, and journalists.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 26 other party leaders have also been invited to the event.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ARMED FORCES DAY

Armed Forces Day commemorates the launch of a coordinated attack by army, navy, and air force personnel against the occupying Pakistani military forces during the Liberation War on Nov 21, 1971.

The day is observed annually with various events, including the reception at Senakunja.

KHALEDA’S LAST APPEARANCE AT SENAKUNJA

Khaleda last attended the Armed Forces Day reception in 2012 as the opposition leader.

Since then, she has not been seen at the event, particularly after being jailed in a corruption case in 2018.

Invitations to her were also discontinued thereafter.

A PLATFORM FOR RARE POLITICAL ENCOUNTERS

The Senakunja reception was once notable for facilitating rare encounters between the country’s two leading political figures, Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League and Khaleda. In 2012, despite their stark differences over the caretaker government system, both attended the event, although they did not interact.

The last time the arch political rivals were seen together at the Senakunja reception was in 2009, during the early years of the Awami League-led government.

Following a mass uprising and the fall of the Awami League government, Hasina fled to India on Aug 5 this year. As a result, she will not attend this year’s Armed Forces Day reception.