BNP Acting Secretary General and Prime Minister's Political Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today said the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) has been playing an important role in promoting human welfare and serving humanity. 

He said, alongside standing by people affected by various disasters, the organisation is also working to inspire young people and adolescents through educational activities.

Rizvi made the remarks while talking to journalists after placing floral wreaths and offering Fateha at the graves of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia marking the 27th founding anniversary of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation.

Executive Director of the foundation Prof Dr Farhad Halim Donar, Convener of the Founding Anniversary Celebration Committee Prof Dr Morshed Hasan Khan and leaders from different levels of the organisation were present.

Rizvi said the Ziaur Rahman Foundation comprises eminent scholars and distinguished professionals from various fields. Doctors, university teachers, engineers, journalists, agricultural scientists and lawyers are associated with the organisation. Its principal objective, however, is human welfare and humanitarian service.

The foundation stood by people affected by various crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and measles outbreak. It also carried out extensive relief and support activities during severe floods in different parts of the country, he added. 

The BNP acting Secretary General said the foundation undertook various humanitarian initiatives, including extending support to the families of those killed or injured during movements and struggles. It had also helped people who lost their legs by providing artificial limbs, enabling them to regain mobility and move around normally.

Rizvi expressed hope that the activities of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation would expand further in the future and that people across the country would receive more effective services from the organisation.

Referring to the government's efforts to address ongoing challenges, the veteran BNP leader said the government and the prime minister issued directives to ensure that there were no shortcomings in vaccination activities to prevent measles. Similarly, the prime minister himself had taken part in a cleanliness drive in Dhaka to prevent dengue.

It was the responsibility of the concerned authorities to ensure the proper implementation of these initiatives and to ensure that no shortcomings remained in the process, he added. 

Meanwhile, Convener of the Founding Anniversary Celebration Committee Prof Morshed Hasan Khan said the Ziaur Rahman Foundation is a completely non-political organisation whose primary objective is to serve people irrespective of their political affiliations or opinions.

He said no political activities were permitted while working for the foundation, adding that the organisation's president the current prime minister issued strict instructions in this regard. 

Executive Director of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation Prof Farhad Halim Donar sought the media's cooperation in bringing the foundation's future activities to the attention of the public.

He said one of the key objectives of the foundation's initiatives was to inspire people and help them become financially self-reliant.