Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman paid his respects at the graves of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi and National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Saturday.
At around 11:30am, he visited the graves located beside the Central Jame Mosque of Dhaka University. Tarique Rahman left his residence at House No. 196 in Gulshan at 10:40am and reached the site at approximately 11:20am.
After getting down from his vehicle, he first placed floral wreaths at the grave of Shahid Hadi. He then offered Surah Al-Fatiha, prayers and munajat at both Osman Hadi’s grave and the grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Mamun Ahmed, Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Education Affairs Secretary Dr Obaidul Islam, Student Affairs Secretary Rakibul Islam Bakul, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib, Tarique Rahman’s personal secretary Mia Noor Uddin Apu, Special Assistant Atiqul Rahman Ruman and other party leaders and activists were present during the visit.
Strict security measures were enforced in and around the graves of Shahid Hadi and the national poet during the programme. On the way from Gulshan, Tarique Rahman’s convoy experienced brief delays near Holy Family Hospital as party activists gathered along the route. Leaders and activists of Tejgaon Thana Jubo Dal also chanted slogans in front of his vehicle.
After completing the grave visits, Tarique Rahman proceeded towards the Election Commission building to complete his National Identity Card (NID) registration. A planned visit to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Pangu Hospital) to see those injured in the July mass uprising was later cancelled. According to party sources, he is scheduled to go directly from the Election Commission to his father-in-law’s residence in Dhanmondi, and later visit Evercare Hospital to see his mother, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, before returning to his Gulshan residence.
