BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said “mob violence” must be abandoned to build a truly democratic system in the country.

“The foremost principle of democracy is that you must tolerate others’ opinions. But here we see, I will speak, yet I will not tolerate your speech. I will beat you, create mob violence, gather a few people and say, ‘Break it, smash it, beat him to death’… this is not democracy,” he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while unveiling the cover of a book titled “Chobbisher Gono-Obbhutthane BNP (BNP's Role in the Mass Uprising of 2024)”, edited by photojournalist Babul Talukder.

Fakhrul expressed concern over what he described as attempts by a certain quarter to divert attention from the recent verdict against Sheikh Hasina for crimes against humanity by creating mob violence in Dhanmondi.

“Sometimes I feel a bit frustrated. I feel frustrated when I look around Bangladesh. On one side, we see a court delivering a verdict against fascist Hasina for crimes against humanity, and on the other side, we see mobocracy and mob violence. I do not know what sign this is,” he said.

The BNP leader feared that some quarters tried to reduce the importance of that verdict and shift global attention elsewhere by triggering mob violence.

“We must pay attention to these matters… We must remain alert as to whether a certain quarter is, with tricks and cunning, trying to divert this in a different direction. We must also see whether they are trying to create divisions,” he added.

Fakhrul said the country cannot afford to turn into a failed state and must strengthen its democratic institutions.

“The essence of democracy is that I may not agree with you, but I will still defend your freedom to express your opinion, even at the cost of my life. That is democracy. Unfortunately, we do not want to tolerate others’ views here — we want to silence them. We must move away from this mindset,” he said.

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Fakhrul said if Bangladesh truly wants to build a sustainable system, it must uphold democracy.

The BNP leader said it does not matter who wins or loses an election. “What matters is whether the judiciary is independent, the media is independent, the parliament is effective, and whether the rule of law, good governance, social dignity and human rights are being upheld.”

Calling for a united democratic front ahead of the upcoming election, he said the responsibility on his party is now greater than ever. “BNP must build a platform that has fought for democracy in the past and will continue to fight to institutionalise it.”

Fakhrul recalled the sacrifices of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, saying she had endured imprisonment, repression and illness for the cause of democracy.

Even after that, he said Khaleda issued a message on 5 August last year calling for no revenge and urging everyone to work together to establish democracy. “We must work and move ahead holding this spirit.”

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The BNP leader also praised BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, saying he motivated the nation in favour of democracy despite enduring persecution and attacks. “You saw in the documentary how he tried to awaken people for democracy.”

Clarifying BNP’s political stance, Fakhrul said, “BNP is not a revolutionary party. We are a liberal democratic party. We believe in democracy, and Bangladeshis have fought for democratic rights for centuries.”

He said BNP envisions a “rainbow state” where people of all religions, ethnicities, opinions and backgrounds live together, and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to political and institutional reforms. “If anyone tries to portray us otherwise, we will not accept it.”

BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan presided over the event. Another Standing Committee Member Begum Selima Rahman, party leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anne, Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, National People’s Party Chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad, Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna, book editor Babul Talukder and publisher Prof BM Nagib Hossain also spoke at the programme.