Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has claimed that National Awami Party (NAP) leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani handed over his party’s electoral symbol, the ‘sheaf of paddy’, to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman shortly before the 1979 national election.
However, historical records show that Bhasani died on November 17, 1976—three years before the 1979 election and before the formation of the BNP.
He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon at a rally organised by the district BNP at the campus of Maulana Bhasani Science and Technology University in Tangail.
Referring to his visit to Bhasani’s grave earlier in the day, Tarique said the veteran leader had dedicated his life to the people of the country, symbolizing their struggles and aspirations.
“Maulana Bhasani had a symbol—the ‘sheaf of paddy’,” he told the gathering.
“When president Ziaur Rahman took responsibility, Maulana Bhasani saw in him a reflection of his own struggle and lifelong work for the people. That is why, when the election came in 1979, Maulana Bhasani told him, “I hand over the ‘sheaf of paddy’ to you.”
Maulana Bhasani was the founding president of the Awami League.
The party was established in 1949 as the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League.
Eight years later, in 1957, following the Kagmari conference in Tangail, he resigned from the Awami League and formed the NAP, adopting the paddy sheaf as his party’s electoral symbol.
Maulana Bhasani died on 17 November 1976 in Dhaka, before the formation of the BNP.
At that time, Ziaur Rahman was the army chief and deputy chief martial law administrator.
He became the president of Bangladesh on 21 April 1977.
He formed the Jatiya Ganatantrik Dal (Jagadal) in February the following year.
Later he formed the BNP on 1 September 1978, when the party adopted the ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol.
The party won the 1979 national election,
After Bhasani’s death, his party’s general secretary Mashiur Rahman, also known as Jadu Mia, joined Jagadal.
He later became one of the founding leaders of the BNP under Ziaur Rahman.
At the rally, Tarique also reaffirmed his party’s commitment to the July Charter, saying, “The BNP will implement the July Charter. There will be no deviation.”
Without naming any party, he said, “Those who signed the July Charter after the election, but shouted for it during the July movement, can be questioned. If you cared so much, why did you not sign first?”
The BNP chairman also claimed that the recent elections in Bogura and Sherpur were held in a fair manner.
“The situation there is calm. But where is the tension? It is near Baitul Mukarram. Where the incident occurred, there is no news. Yet the situation is heating up around Baitul Mukarram,” he said.
Senior BNP leaders and local party members were present at the rally.
