BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the upcoming national election will be one to “defeat the perpetrators of the August 5 genocide and their accomplices in the 1971 genocide.”
“The country has witnessed two major genocides — one in 1971 and the other during the August 5 mass uprising. Both were heinous crimes,” he said. “The trial of those responsible for the August 5 atrocities is underway, and we hope justice will prevail. Similarly, in the next election, we will politically reject those who assisted the Pakistani forces during the 1971 genocide.”
He made the remarks while addressing a view-exchange meeting with residents of Jagannathpur Union in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila on Sunday afternoon.
Referring to calls for a referendum before the election, Fakhrul said: “If a referendum has to be held, it can be held on the day of the election. People don’t understand these charters and referendums that some have imposed from abroad. We want change, but any change must be debated and decided in an elected parliament.”
The BNP leader said the upcoming polls are crucial as citizens have been deprived of their right to vote for the past 15 years. “Only through this election can we restore democracy and stability,” he added.
Fakhrul also criticized the government for farmers’ hardships, saying potato and vegetable growers were not getting fair prices. “If BNP comes to power, we will ensure fair prices for all crops,” he said.
He added that the interim government, being unelected, “does not understand farmers’ problems.” He pledged that a BNP government would introduce agricultural cards to provide subsidized inputs and family cards for mothers and sisters to access daily essentials at fair prices.
Calling it possibly the last election of his life, Fakhrul urged the people to “vote for the grain of rice,” the BNP’s election symbol.
