Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and BNP Secretary General, has said that the historic Teliapara tea garden marked the organised beginning of Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
Addressing a discussion as the chief guest on Saturday (April 4), marking Teliapara Day, he said the war was conducted under the leadership of M A G Osmani, with strategic planning by Ziaur Rahman.
Fakhrul said that on April 4, 1971, a key meeting of military and political leaders was held at the manager’s bungalow of Teliapara tea garden near the India-Bangladesh border. The meeting led to the division of operational sectors and set the course for guerrilla warfare across the country, which later played a decisive role in achieving independence.
He alleged that the true history of the Liberation War has long been misrepresented and that the contributions of Osmani and Ziaur Rahman were not properly acknowledged.
Referring to Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul said she took significant risks during the war by moving with her two children and described her as the country’s first female freedom fighter.
On political issues, the BNP secretary general said a group is spreading misleading information regarding reform initiatives. He noted that the party’s 31-point reform outline announced in 2016 is consistent with current reform proposals and criticised what he termed as propaganda against BNP.
The programme began with wreath-laying in the morning, organised by the district unit command of the freedom fighters’ association, followed by a discussion meeting later in the day.
Speakers at the event highlighted the historical importance of Teliapara, describing it as a key centre of wartime military planning, and called for official recognition and preservation of the site.
Deputy Commissioner Dr GM Sarfaraz and Superintendent of Police Md Tarek Mahmud also spoke at the programme, stressing the need for immediate and effective measures to preserve and develop the Teliapara memorial.
They urged the authorities concerned to take prompt steps to protect the historic site and ensure its proper conservation for future generations.
