USA Bureau 

The National Revolution and Solidarity Day was observed at Bangladesh Embassay in Washington  DC with due solemnity and vibrant discussions.

The day’s proceedings commenced at 9:30am on Saturday with the hoisting of the national flag on the embassy premises by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States, Tareq Md Ariful Islam.

A discussion session was held at 10:00am at the embassy auditorium, attended by prominent members of the expatriate Bangladeshi community. First Secretary Md Abedur Rahman and Second Secretary Md Arifur Rahman read out the messages issued by the President and the Prime Minister, respectively. Counselor and Head of Chancery (HOC) Pravash Lamarong moderated the event.

In his address, Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam highlighted the legacy of late President Ziaur Rahman, noting that his leadership helped navigate the country through a critical juncture. "Under the leadership of Ziaur Rahman on November 7, Bangladesh transitioned from chaos to order. Hence, November 7 remains a highly significant day in the history of Bangladesh," he said.

Delivering his speech on the historical context of the day, Embassy Press Minister Golam Mortoza addressed what he described as long-standing historical misrepresentations.

Mortoza stated that attempts had been made over the years to attribute events to Ziaur Rahman in which he had no involvement. "On November 3, 1975, Khaled Mosharraf staged a coup and placed army chief Major General Ziaur Rahman under house arrest. The four national leaders were killed inside Dhaka Central Jail that very night, yet responsibility was unjustly pinned on Ziaur Rahman," he said.

He further asserted that Khaled Mosharraf facilitated the safe departure of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s assassins abroad. "When army officers were killed on November 4, 5, and 6, Ziaur Rahman was still held captive. Therefore, the actual responsibility for those killings lies with Khaled Mosharraf and Colonel Taher," Mortoza claimed.

Mortoza added that the assertion that Colonel Taher freed Ziaur Rahman is historically inaccurate. "The reality is that ordinary soldiers liberated Ziaur Rahman through the sepoy-people uprising. Colonel Taher sought to use him, but Ziaur Rahman refused to be used," he said.

The event concluded with a special prayer seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyrs of November 7.