Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday said that apprehension about the next national election would persist until the counting of votes was completed.
They made the remarks at a prayer session the BNP organised to observe the birthday of its chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia at its central office at Naya Paltan in the capital Dhaka.
The party on Friday observed the 81st birthday of Khaleda Zia with prayers sessions at party offices and mosques across the country.
A prayer session was also held at the BNP chairperson鈥檚 office at Gulshan in the capital. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the session virtually from London.
At the Naya Paltan programme, BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar聽 Chandra Roy warned party leaders and activists of conspiracies before of the forthcoming national election, urging them to remain alert and not fall into traps set by others.
The 13th parliamentary elections are expected to be held in February 2026 before Ramadan, the fasting month of the Muslims.
鈥楧emocracy is still beyond our reach. We want to believe an election will take place, but the fear will remain until the votes are counted,鈥� Gayeshwar said.
He described Khaleda Zia as a guardian of the nation, saying that she had always fought for democracy and never celebrated her own birthday 鈥� it was observed by the party.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas demanded justice for those involved in Khaleda Zia鈥檚 persecution during her imprisonment.
He claimed that due to pressure from a particular political party and considering party activists, Khaleda Zia were compelled to contest the 2008 election.
Another standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan credited former president Ziaur Rahman for replacing BAKSAL with democracy, Khaleda Zia for restoring democracy from military autocracy, and expressed hope that BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman would initiate democracy again in place of fascism.
The event was attended by BNP chairperson鈥檚 adviser Aman Ullah Aman and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, and party activists.
At the prayer sessions, prayers were offered for Khaleda Zia鈥檚 good health and long life, as well as for the souls of those martyred in the 1971 Liberation War, the 1990 democratic movement and the 2024 mass uprising.
The congregations also prayed for a swift recovery of those injured in the July uprising.
At the Gulshan programme, BNP vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo and standing committee members Jamir Uddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain and Selima Rahman were present.
Separate prayer sessions and discussions were organised by various BNP-affiliated organisations to mark the occasion.
Bangladesh Karmojibi Dal held a programme at the National Press Club鈥檚 Abdus Salam Hall while the Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal arranged another at the Club鈥檚 Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall.
Khaleda Zia was born on August 15, 1945, in Dinajpur.
Bangladesh interim government鈥檚 chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Friday sent birthday greetings to the BNP chairperson with a bouquet of flowers.
BNP standing committee member and Khaleda Zia鈥檚 personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain said that although the BNP chief did not celebrate her birthday, the party held prayer sessions across the country to mark the occasion.
He said that the chief adviser had sent a bouquet in the afternoon, which his officials delivered to her Gulshan residence.
Party officials said that on Thursday night, the Chinese ambassador鈥檚 office had sent a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Chinese envoy to mark Khaleda Zia鈥檚 birthday.
