DOT Desk:[2] BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday claimed that “Bangladesh became independent for the second time through the ‘civil-military uprising in 1975”.
[3] “Ziaur Rahman had been placed under house arrest on November 3 for national and international reasons. Patriotic sepoys and the country’s people freed him on November 7 foiling that plot, and consolidated the independence in true sense,” he said.[4] The BNP leader said, “The new journey of democracy began on that day (Nov-7, 1975. Bangladesh was also liberated for the second time through the civil-military uprising’ on November 7.”[5] Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman by placing wreaths at his grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, marking what the party says the “National Revolution and Solidarity Day”.On this day in 1975, amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.
While BNP and its alliances celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of ‘killing of freedom fighters’. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.
The BNP secretary general said the historic civil-military uprising’ of 1975 created a scope for establishing a democratic Bangladesh, multiparty democracy and people’s rule under the leadership of Zia.