BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the government has besieged democracy like an octopus.
“Today, people’s democratic rights and their rights to expression are being snatched. The government has grabbed democracy like an octopus,” he said.
Fakhrul was speaking at a discussion organised by BNP at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 7th detention anniversary of its senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.
The BNP senior vice chairman was arrested on March 7, 2007 during the army-backed interim regime. He was freed from jail on bail on September 3, 2008 and left for London for treatment eight days later.
Since then, Tarique, the eldest son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and incumbent chairperson Khaleda Zia, has been staying in London.
The BNP spokesperson alleged that the government is annihilating democracy by reestablishing one-party Baksal rule.
To overcome the situation, he urged the country’s people to get united and wage a fresh movement to force the current regime to hold a free, fair and inclusive national election immediately.
Fakhrul claimed that people did not go to polling stations to cast their votes in the ‘ridiculous and farcical’ January 5 election responding to the BNP’s call. “They (people) are also expressing their no-confidence in the present illegal government through the upazila polls.”
“People desperately want to get rid of the current regime’s misrule,” he said adding that the government cannot understand the pulse of people from the wall writings.
Referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s recent speech she delivered at a party rally in Rajbari, Farkhrul said she urged the government to shun the path of conspiracy and hold a fresh national election immediately under the supervision of a non-party caretaker administration.
Narrating Tarique Rahman’s leadership quality, Fakhrul said, “Tarique is the symbol of country’s independence, sovereignty, democratic movement and nationalist party.”
The BNP spokesman said the then army-backed military government in 2007 had arrested Tarique Rahman only to stop the march forward of the nationalist force and annihilate BNP.
Mentioning that propaganda had been carried out against Tarique, Fakhrul said no charges brought against him could be proved. “Even he has been acquitted in the money-laundering case.”
He urged the party men to follow the ideals and philosophy of Tarique to make the party stronger. “On this day we take a fresh vow that we’ll bring back home Tarique soon in the country by intensifying the movement for the restoration of democracy.”
Chaired by Fakhrul, the programme was addressed, among others, by BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, former vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Khandaker Mostahidur Rahman, Treasurer of Bangabandhu Agriculture University Prof Abdul Karim, BNP international affairs secretary Nazim Uddin Alam, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal president Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, acting general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Obaidul Haque Nasim and Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal general secretary Shirin Sultana.
Source: UNB Connect
