Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called upon the people to remain united against any conspiracy being hatched against the country.
He made the call at a rally in front of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party headquarters on Saturday in Dhaka's Nayapaltan, marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
The government observed the day across Bangladesh, commemorating the historic day of November 7, 1975, an uprising by regular army soldiers and the common masses that showed solidarity with them in the political courses of the assassination of Bangladesh's founding president, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in August 1975.
The day was a public holiday, reintroduced by the government of Tarique Rahman this year as the national holiday was scrapped by an interim administration that took over agist the backdrop of a political turmoil in January 2007.
The Prime Minister termed the day one of national unity, calling for maintaining that unity to safeguard Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty.
"November 7 is the day of national unity. November 7 is the day to protect Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty. November 7 is the day of the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh," he said before joining a mass procession organized by his party on the occasion.
He warned the people that conspiracies are being hatched against the country once again, but said no conspiracy can keep the democratic people of the country down.
"Like in 1971, like in 1990, and like on November 7, 1975, we want to give a stern reply once again. Let today's November 7 revolution rally be the day we fulfil that expectation, a day to protect Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty," he said.
"Let it (November 7) also be the day to protect the democracy that the people of Bangladesh established by sacrificing their lives on August 5, 2024," he said, in reference to the mass uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Calling for broader unity, he urged people to stand together against any conspiracy, whether it originated inside or outside the country.
BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, and AZM Zahid Hossain, and Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi were present on the occasion.
BNP activists began arriving at Nayapaltan in small processions from around noontime.
By afternoon, thousands of party leaders and activists—carrying national and party flags and portraits of slain president Ziaur Rahman, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman—had gathered in the area stretching from Kakrail intersection to Fakirerpul intersection.
Following the speech, the Prime Minister joined the procession on foot and exchanged greetings with people en route to Manik Mia Avenue. Cabinet members and leaders from different levels of the party also walked alongside him.
