7th November: "Jatiya Biplob & Sanghati Dibosh" vs "Freedom Fighters Killing Day"
In Bangladesh, under BNP leadership, 7th November was celebrated as the 'Jatiya Biplob and Sanghati Dibosh' (National Revolution and Solidarity Day). This commemorates the 1975 uprising formed by the people and soldiers.
The BNP party and its associate organisation observe the day with elaborate programmes throughout the country. They remind the people of the 'chaotic and disorderly' situation that prevailed in the first week of November 1975 and urge people to unite under the leadership of party chief Khaleda Zia. Early in the day, the party flag are at half-mast at BNP offices countrywide and Khaleda Zia and her party leaders place wreaths at the grave of Ziaur Rahman in Dhaka's Chandrima Uddyan. A large number of BNP leaders and activists and its associate organisations also pay tribute to the former president with colourful banners and festoons (garlands of flowers hung in a curve as a decoration).
On the occasion, Khaleda Zia in a message congratulated countrymen and Bangladeshi expatriates. She termed November 7 as an outstanding day in the national history and said the day was the first step of the country's development.
She called on people to be united to protect national interests.
Different organisations will bring out processions, hold rallies and arrange discussions to mark the day.
The Daily Star (Bangladesh, 2009)
In contrast the JSD, Awami League and some other organisations and political parties do not recognise it neither as a revolutionary nor a solidarity day and denounce it as "Freedom Fighters Killing Day" or "Civil-Military Uprising Day". They accuse the BNP of distorting the 'real' history of 7 November 1975 and urge army personnel, intellectuals and journalists to inform the nation of the 'real fact' on the day.
One thing, however, is certain to those of us who were distant witnesses to those events. Ziaur Rahman was no author of the so-called revolution and national solidarity day, but he seems to have reaped the harvest of those momentous events of 15 August - 7 November. Ziaur Rahman seems to have taken the leadership on 7th November by taking the wind out of the sails of Col. Taher, out maneuvering him. Khaled Musharraf got eliminated in a classic ruthless drama of power struggle.
BNP, in essence, has been celebrating 7th November as the day of the ascendancy to power by Ziaur Rahman by masquerading under the so-called sepoy-people revolution and national solidarity day.
Abdul Hannan, former Press Counsellor, Bangladesh Mission to the UN, New York
Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee also interpreted the day with the same spirit at a meeting held at the city's Bangabandhu Avenue.
Bangabandhu Smriti Sangrakkhan Parishad formed a human chain near central jail in the city observing the day as "the Day of Killing of Freedom Fighters".
Y-Platoon, an organisation run by freedom fighters of sector two, placed wreaths at the grave of Major Khaled Mosharraf marking the day as " the Day of Killing Soldiers".
During the rules of Lt. Gen. Ershad and Khaleda Zia 7th November was a national holiday in Bangladesh. However, in November 2007 the Caretaker Government of Fakhruddin Ahmed scrapped this holiday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Revolution_and_Solidarity_Day.
30th May remembered
The main features of the day were placing of wreaths at Zia’s grave, milad mahfil, Quran khwani, feeding the destitute and discussions. BNP hoisted its party flag at half mast while black flag atop its offices to mark the death anniversary. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, widow of the slain president, along with the party’s leaders and workers placed floral wreath at the mazar of Zia at the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at about 12:30 pm and offered fateha. http://www.bdinn.com/news/ziaur-rahmans-death-anniversary/