FE REPORT
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that Begum Khaleda Zia stood by the people of the country while facing crises with great patience and strong determination.
He said the country can move forward only by following the path of ideals she showed.
Rizvi said the world of newspapers is vast, and as the fourth pillar of the state, it has had the deepest ideological and personal relationship with Begum Khaleda Zia, the chairperson of BNP and former three-time prime minister of the country.
He noted that under the leadership of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, the foundations of multi-party democracy, freedom of expression, and press freedom were firmly established in Bangladesh.
Rizvi made these remarks on Saturday while addressing a condolence meeting and milad mahfil programme held at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club in the city, following the recent passing of Khaleda Zia.
The event was organised by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Journalists Union (DUJ).
The meeting was presided over by DUJ President Md Shahidul Islam and conducted by General Secretary Khurshid Alam.
Speakers included BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, former DUJ president Abdul Hai Sikder, press secretary to Tarique Rahman and former Dhaka Reporters' Unity secretary Saleh Shibli, former General Secretary of DUJ MA Aziz and National Press Club General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan.
Other BFUJ and DUJ leaders including Rashedul Haque, Zahidul Islam Rony, Didarul Alam and Sayeed Khan also spoke.
Rizvi said that during different periods since the Pakistan era, newspapers faced varying levels of control. However, the suppression of the press during the BAKSAL period was the worst. Many people and families who depended on journalism and writing for their livelihood lost everything.
He said President Ziaur Rahman brought the country out of that situation.
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