In a powerful address commemorating National Revolution and Solidarity Day, Dr. Maudud Hosain Alamgir Pavel, a prominent physician and BNP media cell convener, credited the late President Ziaur Rahman with forging the fundamental identity of the nation's people.
Speaking at a discussion titled "November 7: A New Journey of State Reform and Today's Bangladesh," Dr. Pavel stated, "We had no self-identity of our own. We used to identify as Bengalis, and there are Bengalis in various parts of the world. It was the martyred President Ziaur Rahman who gave us our identity. We are all Bangladeshis," he declared, emphasizing that this unifying concept brought all people of this land under one flag.
Dr. Pavel also defended the BNP's relationship with Islamic values, pointing to historical precedent. He asserted that Ziaur Rahman had incorporated 'Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim' (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) into the constitution, thereby making it unnecessary for the party to later artificially associate itself with Islam for political gain.
Taking aim at political rivals, he issued a challenge: "I would tell those who talk about Islam, who equate Ramadan and Puja (Hindu festival), who trivialize Islam, to please remove the word 'Islam' from the front of their names and then do politics." He strongly criticized the practice of using the religion to manipulate public sentiment and "weigh down the ballot boxes" while holding negative notions about Islam itself.
The meeting, held at the Shahid Titu Auditorium in Bogura, was presided over by District BNP President Rezaul Karim Badsha. The event featured speeches from several other senior BNP leaders and dignitaries, underscoring the significance of the day in the party's political calendar.
