Accusing the government of trying to annihilate the Zia family, BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan today warned that any move to relocate the party’s founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave from the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area would turn into a nightmare.

“There is a plot to remove Ziaur Rahman’s name from history, along with the plan to relocate his grave from Chandrima Udyan. Any effort to shift the grave will turn into a nightmare,” he said

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the ruling party was mainly trying to remove Zia’s grave as their leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s grave is far away from Dhaka.

“Why do you want to shift our leader’s grave? You can relocate his (Bangabandhu’s) grave to Dhaka. Please, shun any such plots and concentrate in resolving the country’s numerous problems,” he said.

Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) organised the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity marking Ziaur Rahman’s 80th birth anniversary.

Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, deplored that though Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave Zia the gallantry award, Bir Uttam, for his outstanding role in the Liberation War, Awami League leaders now call him a Pakistani agent.

“Who gave Ziaur Rahman the Bir Uttam award? Those who are making such comments are disgracing their leader with their efforts to trying to belittle another party leader.”

He alleged that the government is also trying to harass BNP chief Khaleda Zia by using state organs.

Hinting at the filing of a sedition case against her over her remarks on 1971 martyrs, Nazrul said the government is killing, harassing and repressing BNP leaders and activists to eliminate the party.

“The regime has targeted the Zia family and trying to annihilate it. Now they’re making efforts to harass Khaleda Zia using the state machinery.”

He described with mockery the pasting of the court’s summon order on the main gate of BNP chairperson’s Gulshan residence.

He alleged that democracy is now in ICU, and urged the people to get united for restoring it.