BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said everyone must proceed with caution to safeguard independence and protect democracy, warning that what he described as Pakistan-friendly anti-state forces are re-emerging in new forms 55 years after independence.
He made the remarks at a discussion organized by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in Dhaka, marking Independence and National Day.
Mirza Fakhrul said the anti-independence forces of 1971 must be resisted and given no concessions. He added that such groups are attempting to remain active in politics under different guises and that the party must stay united to counter any threat to independence and democracy.
He also said the country should move forward with the goal of building a modern and prosperous Bangladesh rather than remaining trapped in the past.
Addressing BNP leaders and activists, Mirza Fakhrul called on party members to defeat all conspiracies and anti-state forces and strengthen the leadership of acting chairman Tarique Rahman, saying Bangladesh would stand tall in the world under his leadership.
At the event, Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Ziaur Rahman was the true proclaimer of independence. He added that a nation cannot function properly if it fails to present its true identity accurately.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the history of the 1971 Liberation War and independence cannot be compared with any other historical period. He said some had attempted to equate the 2024 mass uprising with 1971 in the preamble to the constitution, but stressed that the history of 1971 is unique and undisputed.