BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said that the party cannot allow the immense sacrifice and achievements of August 5 to be misrepresented.
He made the comments at a party rally held on Wednesday at the Dewangonj Girls’ High School ground in Dewangonj Upazila of Jamalpur district.
Rizvi noted that under the repressive government of Sheikh Hasina, people had endured oppression for 16 years, and that under the leadership of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, the party had worked tirelessly to create a democratic space in the country.
“During this period, many elected leaders and activists were killed, and during the July uprising, 130 children—mostly from BNP families—were brutally murdered,” he added.
He added: “Around 450 of our leaders and activists, who were directly involved in the July movement, were also killed. After massive bloodshed, we achieved our goal on August 5. We cannot misrepresent the immense sacrifice and achievement of August 5.”
Rizvi said: “Sheikh Hasina has established autocracy and destroyed the election process, which is undemocratic. One individual has been deprived of voting rights for 30 years. While the election process is underway, one or two political parties are now demanding elections under a PR system, which has never been discussed before in reforms.”
He added: “This is not a suitable system for Bangladesh. Our neighbouring country, India, has never adopted it. Democratic countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have never implemented such a system.”
Rizvi urged the government to hold immediate national elections to meet the expectations of the general public and restore democracy in the country.
Earlier, BNP leaders provided financial assistance and distributed rickshaws to 16 families of martyrs and injured persons from the 2024 student-public uprising in Bakshiganj and Dewangonj upazilas of the district.