Online Desk : Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the date of original birthday of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was revealed through her COVID-19 test report.

“Begum Zia had remained the whole nation in dark in the name of celebrating her birthday in several dates. In fact, her birthday is May 8, according to her COVID-19 test report,” he told a function through videoconferencing from his official residence here.

The AL’s Relief and Social Welfare Sub-Committee arranged the function at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue aiming to distribute COVID-19 safety gears and food aid among 13 social and cultural organisations.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the truth cannot be concealed for a long time as it obviously gets surface one day.

“The 15 August carnage is a cruel incident of the world history. Despite that, Begum Zia was celebrating her fake birthday on this date,” he said.

The AL general secretary said celebration of Begum Khaleda Zia’s fake birthday on August 15 encourages the killers of the Father of the Nation and it was mockery to the brutal killing.

He said the nation has also witnessed that Begum Zia celebrated her fake birthday cutting cakes on the national day of mourning on August 15.

According to Begum Zia’s matriculation certificate, her birthday is August 9 in 1945, while her birth date on September 5 in 1945 as per marriage certificate and her birth date was mentioned in her passport on August 19, 1945, Quader said.

“But, she claimed the August 15 (in 1945) as her birthday,” he added.

The AL general secretary said finally, the information given for the COVID-19 test revealed that Begum Zia’s birthday was May 8, 1948.

Noting that BNP leaders are still giving more attention to politics than Begum Zia’s treatment, he said the BNP leaders did politics over Begum Zia’s release and treatment in the past and they are still doing so.

“We certainly wish her (Khaleda’s) early recovery. Considering her age and for her treatment, the government suspended Begum Zia’s sentence on humanitarian ground,” Quader said.

About COVID-19 situation, he said all must follow health guidelines and wear masks to prevent coronavirus.

AL presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury and Dr Abdur Razzaque, its relief and social welfare secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, central executive member Syed Abdul Awal Shamim and AL Dhaka South City general secretary Md Humayun Kabir were, among others, present at the function.