BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the country’s people will in no way accept one-party rule.
“Even, they (Obaidul Quader) said today (Sunday) that we’ll shape our democracy our way. Democracy is now theirs. Which democracy is it! Is it the democracy of Mujibism, the democracy of BAKSAL, the democracy of one-party rule? The people of this country will not allow that to happen,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said their party has begun a movement to restore true democracy and a government of people removing the current ‘fascist’ regime.
Shaheed Asad Parishad arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 54th anniversary of martyrdom of student leader Asaduzzaman Asad who sacrificed his life during the mass upsurge of 1969, an early event in the process that led to Bangladesh’s independence.
Fakhrul said there is a similarity between the present time and the time when Shaheed Asad sacrificed his life for democracy. “At that time, the intellectuals used to keep mum. Our intellectuals are also now not raising their voice against injustice and misrule.”
Within two months of Asad’s martyrdom, Fakhrul said then Pakistani ruler Ayub Khan resigned, saying he did not want to see the destruction of Pakistan. “But they (AL) will no way quit power. They’ll fight till the last to protect their illegal power. That’s the difference between the current fascist regime and the Pakistani one. ”
In this bad time of the country, he said Asad is a source of inspiration for those who are now on a movement to restore people’s rights and democracy.
The BNP leader said the current regime has been resorting to repression and suppression to cling to power.
He said many people have a desire to intensify the current movement to oust the government, but the movement has its chemistry, science and trend. “I believe people have woken up through our recent movement.”
The current government has established a one-party rule by destroying democracy and snatching people’s all rights by unfairly suppressing and repressing people using the state machinery, he added.
“People have started the movement to restore their rights. We the political parties have got united and will get more united to this end. When we’ll get united people will show us the path to defeat the monstrous regime,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul said the current government has seriously damaged two things of the nation --democratic state system and egalitarian economic system. “So, the poor are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer. The man, who used to walk around in torn shoes, now rides in expensive cars. The man, who did not have a place to keep his head, now has built a 10-storey building… We have to get out of here.”
He said they will create greater unity further to oust the government and protect the interests of people and turn Bangladesh into a prosperous state.
He said there is light of hope that 15 BNP leaders and activists sacrificed their lives on the streets to get back democracy. “So, I’m confident that the way we are united in the struggle, surely we will be able to free this country from the hands of fascism and from the hands of terrible monsters.”