DHAKA: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia called upon the nation to be strongly united on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day that falls on March 26.

The BNP chief came up with the plea in a statement on the eve of the day on Tuesday.

Expressing her greetings to the people both home and abroad, she said, “We should be aware to prevent all sorts of conspiracies against the independence and democracy of the country.”

She added: “We should strengthen our national unity for the greater interest of the country.”

Signed by BNP Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, the statement further said, a deep conspiracy is going on to make Bangladesh a subservient country.

Khaleda Zia, in her message, paid homage to the martyrs of the country’s war of independence.

She also paid tribute to late president Ziaur Rahman, who played an important role during the war.

BDST: 1755 HRS, MAR 25, 2014