The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday paid homage to its founder Ziaur Rahman marking the party’s 45th founding anniversary.

The party leaders and activists, led by its standing committee members, placed a wreath at Zia’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar grave around 10:30 am to pay tributes to him.

They also joined a special prayer seeking salvation for Zia’s departed soul and the good health of party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

BNP Standing Committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, vice-chairmen Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Shahjahan Omar, Ahmed Azam Khan and AZM Zahid Hossain, chairperson’s advisers Abdus Salam, Amanullah Aman, Abul Khair Bhuiyan, Habibur Rahman Habib, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretaries general Khairul Kabir Khoko, Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel and publicity affairs secretary Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anne, were, among others, present.

Leaders and activists of different units and associate bodies of the party also laid wreaths at the late president’s grave. BNP and its associate bodies are celebrating the founding anniversary with various programs across the country.

To mark the day, the party flag was kept hoisted atop the buildings of the BNP’s Nayapaltan office and other offices across the country in the morning.

The leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies are scheduled to take out a colourful rally in front of BNP’s Naypaltan central office at 3pm, marking the day. The rally will end near Rajdhani Market after parading through different roads.

The party arranged a discussion on Thursday at Mohanagar Natya Mancha Auditorium in the capital.

BNP’s associate bodies and all their units across the country will mark the day with due respect by holding various programs, including discussions and rallies.

Ziaur Rahman, a general-turned president, founded the party on September 1, 1978 with a 19-point charter to build a self-reliant Bangladesh. After his assassination on May 30, 1981, his widow Begum Khaleda Zia took over the party leadership.

The party had been in power four times and played the role of main opposition twice. It has been out of power for over 16 years since the 1/11 political changeover in 2007.