Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has claimed that the BNP has played a role behind every great achievement in Bangladesh.
He made these remarks as the chief guest at a memorial meeting organized by Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal to commemorate the martyrs of the historic July-August mass uprising, held at around 3:30pm on Thursday, at the auditorium of Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Center.
"It was the martyr president Ziaur Rahman, the declarer of independence, who ended the one-party Baksal rule and established multi-party democracy, and freed the press," Fakhrul said.
He made claims after citing Tarique Rahman's calls to political parties to forget past enmity and rebuild the nation's economy together.
He said that Tarique did not stop making calls, he is continuously conducting meetings with economists on how to revive the country's economy, and making various plans.
According to Fakhrul, Tarique made these plans so that the BNP can implement them if the BNP comes to power after the election.
Regarding future elections, Fakhrul firmly said elections will definitely be held in February.
"Everyone needs to be patient. If the people vote, the BNP will come to power again. BNP is the people's party, BNP is the symbol of democracy," he added.
Fakhrul further alleged that those who are running fascism today want to block the path of democracy in the country. "We know they want to provoke us – but we will not fall for their incitement," he said.
The BNP Secretary General further said: "Despite prolonged oppression and torture, and the enforced disappearance and murder of thousands of leaders and activists, the BNP could not be stopped. Instead, it has risen back stronger."
He said that extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and nearly 6 million false cases were filed against party leaders and activists.
"Our party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was kept in prison for 6 years on false charges. Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman was also sent into exile through physical and mental torture," Fakhrul said.
"BNP never broke down. Our leaders and activists came to the cities and drove rickshaws, drove autos, worked as night guards – but never left the streets. This is our history of struggle, this is our spirit," he added.
Addressing Chhatra Dal leaders, he said: "All of today's Chhatra Dal members have been imprisoned with us. Many couldn't stay in villages and became professionals in cities. None of the 142 martyred leaders of Chhatra Dal became gazetted officers – this is extremely sad."
At the memorial meeting, Executive Committee member Fazlur Rahman Khokon said that those who want to push Bangladesh's politics backward, who know that if elections are held in February, BNP will win and people will vote for BNP, are engaged in conspiracies against BNP.
BNP Joint Organizational Secretary Amirul Islam Khan Alim said: "Sheikh Mujib had banned all political parties in Bangladesh and established one-party rule. But president Shaheed Ziaur Rahman came to power and established multi-party democracy. So think ten times before speaking against that Ziaur Rahman."
BNP Information Secretary Azizul Bari Helal said: "The fascist attack that happened in Gopalganj yesterday was an attack on the mass uprising of '24. Remember, no compromise with fascism. No compromise with the Awami League.”
He added: “The fascist Awami League has been defeated in Bangladesh. No attack by defeated forces can be allowed to pass in Bangladesh."
BNP Joint Secretary General Habibun Nabi Khan Sohail said: "We wanted an election after the struggle. But we supposedly cannot ask for elections. If we ask for votes, we supposedly want to go to power."
Adviser to the chairperson of BNP, Amanullah Aman, said: "Nationwide, Tarique Rahman has won people's hearts today. Tarique Rahman will come in the interim government's election, will participate in the election, we will bring him quickly and by Allah's grace, BNP will come to power with a majority in the election."
The memorial meeting was presided over by Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib. Nasir Uddin Nasir was responsible for conducting the program.
