BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the 18 crore people of the country no longer want Awami League.
“On one hand, we’re holding a rally here in Chattogram; on the other, another rally is being held at New Market in Dhaka. The demand is the same — Awami League must be banned,” he said at a youth grand rally at the Polo Ground in Chattogram.
Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal organised the rally.
Fakhrul said that Awami League had established BAKSAL but BNP founder Ziaur Rahman laid the foundation of multi-party democracy and freedom of press was restored by him.
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“Ziaur Rahman also laid the foundation of the garments industry… It was Khaleda Zia who introduced the caretaker government system,” he added.
The BNP leader warned that some people returning from abroad are attempting to erase this history. “They must not be allowed to distort the truth,” he said.
Addressing the youth, he said, “You want jobs, businesses, peaceful educational institutions — none of this is possible without genuine democracy. Today’s call to action is for the youth to rise, resist conspiracies and reclaim your rights.”
He said Sheikh Hasina has unleashed repression across the country for the past 15 years.
“It’s not one or two people—millions have suffered under this fascist rule. Thousands have lost their lives. Over 60 lakh people have been falsely implicated in cases. Around 20,000 people have been killed and over 1,700 forcibly disappeared,” he added.
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Fakhrul further said that former prime minister Khaleda Zia was unjustly kept in jail for six years while acting BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman remains unable to return to the country.
“Tarique Rahman dreams of building a modern Bangladesh and will never compromise the national interest. He has declared that the final decision will be made on the streets — and that’s becoming a reality,” Fakhrul said.
He praised the organisers of the rally, calling it an “unprecedented gathering” made possible by the efforts of Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal.
“We always look at Chattogram with special attention because it was from this city that Ziaur Rahman declared the country’s independence,” Fakhrul added.