BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday described Begum Khaleda Zia as the nation's undisputed and uncompromising leader who dedicated her life to the restoration of democracy. He said this while speaking at a memorial and dua mehfil for Begum Khaleda Zia, former prime minister and BNP Chairperson at a hotel in the city. The new Bangladesh must be built on unity and love, not revenge or malice,” he added. Fakhrul reiterated his stance that Begum Khaleda Zia was the country’s first female freedom fighter, citing her 1971 arrest by Pakistani forces while her husband, Ziaur Rahman, was fighting on the front lines. He connected her struggle to the legacy of Ziaur Rahman, who he credited with introducing multi-party democracy and a free press to Bangladesh after 1975.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 05, 2026 12:53 UTC