BNP on Sunday extended full support for the one-point demand of the student-led Anti-Discrimination Movement, urging its leaders, activists, and people from all walks of life to stand by the protesters.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called on the government to step down amid the mass upsurge.
The BNP leader stated that the entire nation has rallied behind the Anti-Discrimination Movement’s one-point demand for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation and the immediate transfer of power to a neutral government, as announced by the student movement organisers at the central Shaheed Minar on Saturday.
“BNP declares full solidarity with the one-point declaration raised by the anti-discrimination student movement and the masses,” he said.
In this extreme crisis facing the nation, Fakhrul urged “democracy-loving people and the leaders, workers, supporters, and well-wishers of the BNP and its affiliated bodies at all levels to take to the streets and unite with the students to accelerate the fall of the ‘autocratic’ government in the larger interest of the country and the nation.”
He also called upon all political parties, organisations, individuals, professionals, workers, farmers, and the vast masses of people to make the non-cooperation movement a success.
The BNP leader noted that a wave of mass uprisings is sweeping across the country, including Dhaka city, against the government.
Asked about the process for the government’s handing over of power, Fakhrul said they will come up with a proposal on it after consultation with all stakeholders, especially those who are involved in the student movement. “We don't think that time has passed yet. We will inform you about this matter later.”
He urged the army, government officials, administration, and members of law enforcement agencies not to take a stand against the people. “They must play a role in ensuring that our roads are not stained with the blood of the people and the students, and our children are not martyred."
The BNP leader remained that those who are employees of the republic are not employees of any party or person. “They are completely accountable to the people. Taking it into consideration, they should involve with people defying the unjust orders.”
Replying to a question about the consequence if the government does not resign, the BNP Secretary General said no one in history could stay in power in the face of a strong mass movement.
"The strong mass wave of crowd has spread. A few days ago, my wife asked me whether she would still stay at home. My daughters and everyone's daughters have gone out of homes…We saw this mass uprising in 1969, 90, 70 and 71. The mass awakening has now arisen again with much more force than that,” he observed.
Fakhrul said only a handful of students, who are not even professional student leaders, have awakened the entire nation.
Stating that the government has destroyed the country in a planned way, he said now this is the time to stand up and resist the Awami League to it and now is the time to stand up against them. “They have to be forced to resign and this this the high time for them to go.”
Blaming the government for the current situation, the BNP leader said the government is responsible for the current situation as they always committed crimes using the courts.
He said the government has made the situation so complicated over the quota issue that the students are now at a point of no return.
In this situation, Fakhrul warned that the more the government will buy time the more the nation will be affected and the Awami League will be harmed as a political party.
The BNP leader also said the ruling party is trying to spread fear in the public mind by creating various terror attacks and acts of sabotage. “We want to say that they won’t be able to prevent their fall by doing this."
BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas and Selima Rahman were present at the press conference.