The Daily Morning Sun Online Correspondent //

They are proud to bring BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to the event organized to mark the Armed Forces Day, said the Chief Advisor to the interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

He made this known while attending the reception ceremony at Senakunj on Thursday (November 21) afternoon.

Dr. Yunus said, ‘Begum Khaleda Zia, wife of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, has come here. She has not had the opportunity to come for a long time. We are proud to have given this opportunity. Thank you again for being with everyone on this special day despite her long illness. I wish you a speedy recovery.’

Earlier, Khaleda Zia left her Gulshan residence Firoza at around 3:30 pm and reached Senakunj at around 3:45 pm.

Meanwhile, this is the first time since 2018 that the BNP Chairperson has participated in a public program. She last visited Sylhet on February 5, 2018. In addition, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had participated in the Armed Forces Day ceremony at Senakunj in 2012.

On Tuesday (November 19) night, Army Chief of General Staff Lt. General Mizanur Rahman Shamim and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt. General ASM Kamrul Ahsan delivered the invitation to the BNP Chairperson.

On November 13, 2010, Khaleda Zia was forcibly dragged out of her house on Shaheed Mainul Road in Dhaka Cantonment, where her family has a long history of 40 years, by a piece of cloth. She went to the Senakunj of that cantonment on Thursday.

Apart from Khaleda Zia, 26 senior leaders including BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the Standing Committee have also been invited to the Armed Forces Day ceremony. This is the first time since 2009 that the BNP Acting Chairman has been invited.