‘Zia proved wrong negative notion of Bangladesh’

BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan briefs the journalists at his official residence in the city yesterday emerging from a meeting on the occasion of November 7. PHOTO: STAR

"Immediately after independence, the country was branded as a ‘ bottomless basket' ... but he was the man who proved the negative notion wrong restoring the images of the country abroad," he added.

Bhuiyan was addressing a pre-Iftar discussion at LGED auditorium in the city organised by Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF).

"Due to autocratic attitude of the then government, the country faced severe famine immediately after the independence...not only that they gagged the media... but Zia was the person who made the media independent," he added.

Listing the coalition government's success in various fields in the last fouryear rule, Bhuiyan also urged the people to vote the BNP to power again.

Describing various steps taken by the ZRF for the welfare of the poor hapless people of the country, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tareque Rahman also urged the affluent society to extend their helping hands to bring poor out of poverty cycle.

Tareque, also ZRF president, a non-political organisation, said the organisation is also going to set up an old-home and a child-care centre soon aimed at standing beside them.

Among others, state minister for education ANM Ehsanul Haq Milon and deputy minister for food and disaster Asadul Habib Dulu, were present at the programme as special guests.