A civic mourning programme will be held today at the south plaza of the national parliament building to commemorate BNP chairperson and three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Newly appointed BNP chairman Tarique Rahman is expected to attend the programme, organisers said Thursday.
The commemorative service, arranged by a Civil Society Committee, will begin at 2:30pm with former Chief Justice Syed J R Modasshir Hossain in the chair.
The chief organiser of the event is economist Prof Dr Mahbub Ullah, who shared details of the programme at a press conference Thursday at the Krishibid Institution in Dhaka.
Among those present at the press conference on behalf of the organising committee are chief organiser Prof Dr Mahbub Ullah, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists Secretary-General Kader Gani Chowdhury, Press Institute of Bangladesh director-general Faruk Wasif and Dr Shakhawat Hossain Sayantha.
Speaking at the press conference, Professor Dr Mahbub Ullah said the entire country was deeply saddened by the death of popular leader Begum Khaleda Zia on December 30. Her funeral turned into a massive gathering of mourners across the capital.
"Civil society feels a responsibility to formally remember her and to draw inspiration from her life and ideals. That sense of responsibility led to the organisation of this civic mourning programme," he said.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com