BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that he did not comment anything regarding forming a probe committee on behalf of his party to prepare a list of those involved in corruption, like former army Chief Aziz Ahmed and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed.
“I had commented that the Awami League has created numerous Benazir Ahmeds and Aziz Ahmeds all over the country but did not say that BNP will form an investigation committee to find them,” Mirza Fakhrul said in an interview with Bangla Tribune on Friday.
In response to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader's statement regarding the BNP’s politics, Mirza Fakhrul said: “I did not talk about forming any investigation committee. This is a lie.”
Obaidul Quader said on Friday that the BNP is the master of corruption and looting. "If you list the corrupt, the names of BNP leaders will come first," he told a press conference.
Responding to the BNP's claim that the Awami League cannot avoid the responsibility of Aziz and Benazir, Quader said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been holding the post of BNP secretary general for many years, violating the party's constitution.
"The BNP does not practice democracy within the party. How will they establish democracy in the country?" he said.
In this regard, Mirza Fakhrul said: “Our party will decide when our party's council will be held. He (Obaidul Quader) is not a decision maker. He should not make any comment regarding this.”
How is Mirza Fakhrul holding the post?
Khaleda Zia announced Mirza Fakhrul as acting general secretary of the party on March 20, 2011 after the then general secretary of BNP Khandaker Delwar Hossain passed away on March 16, 2011.
After his taking charge, some senior party leaders raised questions regarding the nomination. Some said that there is no mention of an acting general secretary in the constitution of the BNP.
Khaleda Zia officially announced Mirza Fakhrul as the acting secretary general of BNP after the meeting of the standing committee held in the first week of April of that year (2011) after visiting Saudi Arabia on the invitation of the Saudi royal family on March 21, 2011.
Then the confusion about this ended.
On March 19, 2016, Mirza Fakhrul was elected as the party's general secretary at the party's sixth national council.
BNP has a constitutional rule of holding council every three years. Although after 2016, due to anti-government movement centring on the election of the 11th National Parliament and the 12th National Parliament election in 2024, the downfall of the Awami League became a priority for the party.
After the last national elections, the talk of a “council” was raised from within the party, but the policy-making leaders rejected it.
Besides, the acting chairman of the party, Tarique Rahman, has started appointing vacant posts.
In response to this reporter's question on Friday afternoon, BNP Secretary General said: "We could not arrange the council due to various reasons. We are in a continuous struggle to restore democracy. This is the truth.”
“My term will end in December 2025. A council will be held on time.”
While responding to questions regarding Obaidul Quader’s comment about Fakhrul’s holding party position, the BNP leader said that he does not want to say anything regarding this. It will be decided by the party.
After being arrested on October 29, the BNP secretary general was released after spending three and a half months in prison. He spent a total of 467 days in jail. There are 112 cases against him. Twenty five of them are under trial.
Senior leaders while talking to Bangla Tribune mentioned that Mirza Fakhrul has been leading the party from the front since Khaleda Zia went to jail on February 8, 2018 and Tarique Rahman’s exile in London.
Several leaders of the BNP said that Fakhrul has played a key role in the ongoing simultaneous movement by participating in rallies across the country, forming the National Unity Front (Jatiya Oikya Front-2018).
During this period, Mirza Fakhrul is also facing the opposition of many seniors within the party. In the meantime, at least twice, he raised his resignation with Khaleda Zia. However, the BNP chairperson and the acting chairman did not take it into account, said the BNP leaders.
Earlier on May 7, Barrister Muhammad Jamir Uddin Sarker, a member of the party's Standing Committee, told Bangla Tribune about the BNP council and Mirza Fakhrul: "We had a discussion about the council. But in what form it will be, that is also a question. Our priority is to act as an effective opposition.”
Regarding Mirza Fakhrul, the most senior leader of the BNP, he said: “He is the best. I don't see a better person right now. Besides, his health is not too good right now. In this condition, he is leading the party. He deserves appreciation. He is much better even in Sheikh Hasina's political tyranny. But there are some people who think they can be secretary general too. It happens at a big party.”
The BNP Secretary General had to take treatment both at home and abroad every time after coming out of prison.
BNP Chairperson's press wing member Shairul Kabir Khan said Mirza Fakhrul has received treatment abroad several times. He received treatment in Singapore on February 8, 2014. After his arrest on January 6, 2015, the BNP secretary general was in jail for about seven months. He went to Singapore on October 17, 2015 on doctor's advice. He went to Singapore from New York in September of that year.
"After being released from prison that same year, when he was diagnosed with a block in the internal carotid artery of the neck, he went to Singapore for treatment," said Shairul Kabir.
Mirza Fakhrul also went to Singapore for treatment twice in 2016, and then in 2019, 2021, 2023, and on March 4 this year. He also took treatment at BSMMU, Evercare Hospital and United Hospital in the country.
