Tarique Rahman Expresses Regret to Retired Army Officers

Dhaka, Bangladesh: BNP’s Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman extended a personal apology to Major General (Retd.) Fatemi Rumi, former Director General of the Special Security Force (SSF), during a meeting with retired military personnel on Tuesday night at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The session brought together 101 retired officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force to discuss issues concerning retired servicemen and ongoing political developments.

The meeting was presided over by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and moderated by Major General (Retd.) Fazle Elahi Akbar. Tarique Rahman participated virtually from London and addressed a longstanding personal matter with Major General Rumi.

“I want to mention something personal. During my mother’s time, Rumi Sahab was the DG of SSF. There was a procession from Old Dhaka to Amin Bazar, which I walked through with my mother, Begum Khaleda Zia. It was crowded and chaotic. I behaved wrongly towards you that day, and I have long wished to apologise. Today, I finally have the opportunity. I am very sorry,” Rahman said.

Tarique Rahman also paid tribute to his mother, Begum Khaleda Zia, recounting her last public appearance before falling ill. He described her determination to attend the Armed Forces Day reception on 21 November, despite her fragile health, emphasising her commitment and strength of mind.

“Even after returning, she remained mentally strong and fully engaged, reflecting the respect and care she had for the armed forces. This demonstrates the Zia family’s enduring connection with Bangladesh’s military, whether Army, Navy, or Air Force,” Rahman added.

He clarified that negative perceptions of the BNP and the Zia family created during the era of dictatorship were based on misinformation and misunderstandings, and he shared personal experiences to address and correct such narratives.

Several retired officers also delivered remarks during the event, including Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, Lieutenant Colonel (Retd.) Shamsuzzoha, Major (Retd.) Reza Karim, and Rear Admiral (Retd.) Mostafiz, among others.

The meeting was widely regarded as a reconciliatory gesture, aiming to reinforce mutual understanding between the BNP leadership and retired military officials, while clarifying historical misunderstandings surrounding the party and the Zia family.