"The country's independence doesn’t belong to any individual or group. It belongs to all the people of the country, including the farmers who produce golden crops, the worker who produce goods and strengthen the economy, the expatriate and RMG workers and students and all other professionals," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He said, "After 50 years of independence, let's take an oath afresh to materialise the dreams of 1971 to build a liberal, democratic and prosperous Bangladesh. We'll move forward to the path of light from darkness."
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Fakhrul made the remarks at the inaugural ceremony of the of the party's programmes of Golden Jubilee of Independence at a city hotel.
Later, the BNP secretary general paid homage to party founder Ziaur Rahman as well as Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and millions of martyred freedom fighters for their role in in liberating the country.
He said the independence of Bangladesh was an outcome of people's long-cherished desire to build their own state based on fairness and equality. "We achieved it though immense sacrifices."
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When the nation is celebrating the Golden Jubilee, the BNP leader said the current 'fascist' and 'unelected' government is hatching a plot to revoke the gallantry title of late president Ziaur Rahman only because of political vengeance.
He also alleged that the government has continued its repressive acts using the state machinery and law enforcers to kill and suppress its opponents and those raise voice against its 'misdeeds and misrule’.
"The spirit of independence is now missing while efforts are being made to establish a one-party governing system undercover of fake democracy. Our all hopes and aspirations have been shattered with the formation of the current parliament and the government through vote robbery on the night before the scheduled voting day," the BNP leader said.
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He also accused Awami League of dividing the nation instead of uniting them even after the 50 years of the country's independence. "Our independence has been weakened and the aspirations of our people have been shattered taking the country to a direction where justice is rare and inequality is on the rise.”
Fakhru alleged that the government is misguiding the new generation by distorting history and giving them false information about the country's Liberation War.
He said their party will present the facts and true history of the Liberation War through their various programmes on the Golden Jubilee and thus they will inspire the new generation to build a humanitarian and welfare state ensuring people's all the rights, including the freedom of expression.
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"We want to eliminate economic and social inequalities .We'll highlight the contributions of those who fought in Liberation War as we want to honour all of them."
About the current situation of the country, Fakhrul said all the state institutions have been politicised while the economy is now under the grip of some partisan businessmen while the media are gaged.
He said widespread corruption, arrogance and political vengeance of the ruling quarter has now become the biggest obstacle to restoring good political culture, tolerant politics and healthy democratic practice in the country.
Senior leaders of BNP and 20-party alliance and diplomats from different countries and international bodies, including the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Japan and the UN, were present at the programme.