BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Wednesday called upon the people for refraining from destruction, revenge and vengeance for building the society with love and peace.
“Let’s come forward to strengthen the hands of the youth. There should be no destruction, no revenge and no vengeance. We want to build a knowledge-based society with love and peace,” she said.
The BNP chairperson came up with this call in a video message screened at a grand rally arranged by BNP at its Nayaplatan central office in the capital.
It was Khaleda’s first speech as a free person after President Mohammad Shahabuddin commuted her jail terms on Tuesday. She was jailed in 2018 on corruption charges brought by now-ousted Awami League government. She and her party called the charges as politically motivated.
The BNP chief extended her sincere thanks to heroic children for making this impossible possible by achieving this victory and showed respect to the hundreds of martyrs who lost lives in the recent student-led mass movement that ensured the fall of Sheikh Hasina regime.
“We’ve got relief from the fascist and illegal government through a long movement, struggle and sacrifice. We want to extend sincere thanks to our heroic children who made this impossible possible in a do-or-die struggle,” she said.
Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, said this victory has created a new possibility for the nation to rebuild the country. “We’ve to build a prosperous Bangladesh from the long practice of unprecedented corruption and debris of destroyed democracy. Students and youth are our future,” she added.
She urged all to come forward to develop a modern Bangladesh based on peace, progress and equity by ensuring the rights of all people irrespective of casts and creed.
“We’ll have to build a democratic Bangladesh based on merit, competency and knowledge to fulfill the youth’s dreams for which they shed their blood,” the BNP chairperson said.
Begum Khaleda Zia, who was officially released on Tuesday last, also extended thanks to the people for struggling for freeing her from jail and wishing her recovery.