BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks at a rally at Central Shaheed Minar in the city on Saturday to remember the democracy seekers who were martyred during the fascist regime led by autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina. -Daily Sun PHOTO
The BNP held a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital on Saturday to commemorate the sacrifice of the people who were killed and injured, and those who faced false cases during the fascist regime led by autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina.
Senior BNP leaders, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, joined the programme that started around 3:30pm on that day at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Several hundreds of victims who were injured, faced false cases, became physically disabled, and family members of the people killed in the struggle for democracy under the rule of despot Sheikh Hasina, who resigned due to a mass upsurge and fled to India, participated in the commemoration meeting.
At the programme, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said all have to remain alert as the deposed group is still hatching conspiracies against the country.
“Today we all are saying that we have become independent. Maybe we have become independent, but still the venomous snakes are spreading their breath. The conspiracy of that party (Awami League) is spreading in various ways and they are trying to divide us,” he said.
The BNP secretary general said, “Now it is necessary for us to keep the steel-solid unity with which we have been fighting for 16 years. We should not step into any trap of conspiracy in any way. I sincerely thank the leaders and activists of BNP. They have remained calm in the midst of provocation and temptations and are working to save this country.”
He mentioned that on Friday, Jatiyatabadi Shechchhasebak Dal President SM Jilani, his wife, and other party men came under attack in Gopalganj. “I myself went to the hospital today to visit him. Another leader has been martyred. This incident makes it clear that they are hiding like heinous creatures and they will carry out attacks again at any moment.”
“We have to resist the attacks and establish democracy,” he added.
Fakhrul said, “We want to take a vow on the eve of the International Day of Democracy that we will work together to make Bangladesh a truly democratic state and strengthen the institutions as we have done in the past. However, we must be careful about one thing that no one can mislead or derail us.
“We will not look back in the days ahead. Let us move forward for democracy, for the people – it should be our oath.”
The rally was attended by hundreds of family members of those who disappeared and were murdered in the last 17 years.
A minute’s silence was observed at the beginning of the rally to pay respect to the souls of the martyrs. After that, the artists of the Sammilita Sangskritik Goshthi performed the national anthem. About the interim government, Mirza Fakhrul said this government is achieved by a struggle and people have sky-high expectations about it.
“People think this government will level the playing field by bringing reformation in democratic institutions so that a truly meaningful and neutral election will be held to establish a democratic state and society,” he said.
The BNP leader said families of all those who have been killed in the struggle for democracy over the last 16 years and during the student-led mass uprising must be compensated by the state. “It is very important that we do not just sit here and talk. We have to raise these issues very loudly and tell the government that these things have to be done.”
Mirza Fakhrul also demanded the withdrawal of around 1.45 lakh cases filed against the leaders and activists of the opposition party in the past 16 years and the finding of the missing leaders and activists.
General Secretary of Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh Saiful Huq, Chief Coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolon Junaid Saki, Gana Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur, Jatiya Dal Chairman Syed Ehsanul Huda, and National Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman Bobby Hajjaz, among others, also spoke at the programme.
Rakiq Ahmed, son of Major General Shakil Ahmed who was killed in the BDR mutiny, and three members of the victim’s family also spoke at the rally.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partha said, “Imagine today that there is no Awami League for 35 days. No one says that they will run the Awami League. It is not being defeated, it is falling.” “Our brothers here said, ‘we want justice’. I will say the trial has just begun. This trial will be conducted in such a way that everyone in Bangladesh will know Awami League as ‘Mir Zafar League’ for the next 100 years. This party has lost its existence as a political party,” he added.
Thousands of BNP leaders and activists along with its organisations and family members of missing people, families of those who were killed in police firing during the students’ movement and the leaders and activists of the BNP who were persecuted and crippled during the movement in the last 16 years were present at the rally defying the adverse weather condition.
BNP leaders Abdul Moyeen Khan, AZM Zahid Hossain, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Aman Ullah Aman, Afroza Khan Rita, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel, Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Shimul Biswas, Fazlul Haque Milan, and Shirin Sultana, among others, were also present on the occasion.
