Ashraf assails Khaleda’s birthday celebration

FE Team | Published: August 13, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

In a scathing attack on Khaleda Zia, LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said Tuesday the BNP chief vowed afresh to build new Pakistan on the National Mourning Day, reports UNB.
"Khaleda Zia doesn't celebrate birthday on National Mourning Day, she rather takes a fresh vow to build new Pakistan," Ashraf, also the general secretary of Awami League (AL), said this while addressing a pre-mourning rally discussion marking the National Mourning Day organised by Awami Juba League in front of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the city Tuesday.
"We repeatedly requested Khaleda Zia not to celebrate birthday on National Mourning Day even if it's real to show respect to Bangabandhu. She can celebrate it on August 16. We don't have any objection to celebrating her birthday," Ashraf added.
Mentioning that the celebration of birthday is not part of the country's culture, the AL leader said: "I never celebrated my birthday in my life. Crores of people in the country don't celebrate their birthdays by cutting cakes as it's not our culture. It's a western culture. But Khaleda Zia is not ready to accept that."
The nation was divided through Bangabandhu's assassination, said the minister adding, "We want to see the nation get united. Don't divide the nation by celebrating a fake birthday."
BSS report adds: Joint general secretary of the ruling Awami League (AL) Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif urged BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia Monday not to divide the nation by celebrating 'fake' birthday on the National Mourning Day on August 15.
"Begum Zia started celebrating her fake birthday on the National Mourning Day following her defeat in the June 12 polls of 1996 to divide the nation and save the killers of Bangabandhu. In that polls Awami League came to power and paved the way for holding trial of the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman repealing the Indemnity Ordinance with a view to establishing the rule of law," he said.
Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion in the city.
Dhaka City unit of Janmashtami Utjapon Parishad organised the discussion marking the birth festival of Sri Sri Krishna (Janmashtami) and the National Mourning Day at the Shilpakala Academy auditorium in the capital.
President of the city unit of the Parishad Chitta Ranjan Das chaired the discussion, also addressed, among others, by Awami League Central Working Committee member Sujit Roy Nandi, Parishad's central president Ramesh Chandra Ghosh, Dhaka City AL organising secretary Shahe Alam Murad and a popular vocalist of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro Manoranjan Ghoshal.