Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is set to celebrate its 46th founding anniversary across the country on Sunday.

The party has shortened its previously announced elaborate programmes due to the severe flooding affecting the country`s eastern region.

On September 1, 1978, late president Ziaur Rahman founded the party with a 19-point programme to build a self-reliant Bangladesh.

Under the revised program, the BNP will observe the day with traditional activities, including hoisting the party flag at the Nayapaltan central office and all BNP offices nationwide on Sunday morning. The observance will also feature offering Fateha and placing wreaths at the grave of the party`s founder, Ziaur Rahman, in the capital on Sunday.

The leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies, led by party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will place wreaths and offer munajat (special prayers) at the grave of its founder Ziaur Rahman at 11:00am.

Besides, the BNP will arrange a doa mahfil at its Nayapaltan central office in the afternoon on the same day. The programme will be arranged seeking divine blessings for those affected by the flooding, for those who were killed and injured in the recent student-led mass movement, and for the swift recovery of Khaleda Zia, the widow of Ziaur Rahman.

At a recent meeting, the BNP`s standing committee cancelled the five-day programmes and allocated the funds intended for these events to the party`s relief fund. This fund will be used to assist the flood victims.

BNP`s associate bodies and all their units across the country will mark the day with due respect by holding doa mahfil, discussions and distributing relief in the flood-hit areas.

In its 45-year journey, the BNP had been in power four times and on the opposition bench twice. BNP has been out of power for nearly 18 years since the 1/11 political changeover.

BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in separate messages congratulated the people of the country, party leaders, workers and well-wishers on the occasion.