Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is observing nationwide doa and milad mahfils on Saturday (August 15) marking the 82nd birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and former BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who was born in Dinajpur on this day in 1945.

Party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the program details in a press release issued on Friday (August 14) morning.

The press release stated that milad and prayer sessions would take place at party offices or mosques nationwide. In Dhaka, the primary program will occur at 11:00 AM at the party's central office in Naya Paltan.

The statement urged leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organizations to observe the program with due dignity.

Khaleda Zia's family name was Khaleda Khanam, and her nickname was Putul. Her father Iskandar Majumder hailed from Feni, though he completed his education while living at his sister's house in Jalpaiguri, where he also ran a tea business.

Later, the family settled permanently in Dinajpur city. Khaleda Zia attended a missionary school there and later studied at Dinajpur Government Girls' High School.

In 1960, Khaleda married Captain Ziaur Rahman of the Pakistan Army. Ziaur Rahman played an extraordinary role in the Great Liberation War of 1971, when he served as a Major in the Pakistan Army. He declared independence from the Kalurghat Radio Center in Chattogram on March 27, inspiring Bengalis to join the liberation movement.

Following independence, Ziaur Rahman founded a political party named BNP on September 1, 1978, while serving as President. He was killed in a failed military coup in Chattogram in 1981. His wife, Khaleda Zia, subsequently took charge of BNP.

In 1983, under her leadership, BNP formed a seven-party alliance to launch the anti-Ershad movement alongside other political parties and coalitions. While other political groups compromised with the Ershad government at times, the alliance led by Khaleda Zia refused to compromise, earning her the title of "Uncompromising Leader."

She was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1991 and went on to serve as Prime Minister for two more terms. Following the 1/11 political changeover, she was imprisoned during the Fakhruddin-Moeen U Ahmed government. Later, on February 8, 2018, she was arrested on corruption charges and sentenced under false cases.

Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30 while undergoing treatment at a hospital with various health complications. She served as BNP Chairperson until her death. Her eldest son, Tareque Rahman, currently leads the ruling party and serves as the head of government following the 13th parliamentary election.