"Bangladesh is now facing two disasters -- one is natural or Covid-19 and another is political,” he said.
Fakhrul further said, "People's lives and livelihoods are at stake due to the Covid-19 while their ownership of this country has been lost through the political calamity. They (govt) have established an economy of plundering in the country.”
He made the remarks while speaking at a virtual discussion arranged by Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal, marking its 40th founding anniversary.
The BNP leader said people are not getting treatment at hospitals amid the corona prevalence due to mismanagement in the health sector and the government’s failure, ignorance and indifference.
“They (govt) are even making fun of people's lives. It’s not possible to get rid of the current situation until the current government is removed,” he observed.
Fakhrul called upon people to get united to 'restore' democracy and establish a pro-people government through a neutral election.
He criticised Awami League leaders for what he said spreading ‘false’ campaign against BNP founder Ziaur Rahman to divide the nation and thus cling to power.
Speaking at the programme, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the ruling party has ‘snatched’ people’s freedom of expression by destroying democracy. “So, people now cannot speak the truth. Today, the truth is suppressed by lies.”
He urged the leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies to get ready for a strong struggle to ‘restore’ democracy and people’s rights.
Another party standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said Bangladesh is now affected with two viruses--'Awami League virus' and coronavirus.
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"Our country's politics has been affected by the Awami virus for the 11 years. This virus has devasted us. Over a lakh cases have been filed against our 35 lakh leaders and workers to eliminate BNP. But they have not been able to harm our party’s strength,” he observed.
BNP standing committee members Jamiruddin Sircar, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, among others, spoke at the programme.