BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said that the people of Bangladesh do not want to return to the ‘dark ages’ after emerging from the ‘barbaric era of Sheikh Hasina’s autocracy.’

He made the remarks on Thursday afternoon while addressing a gathering at the residence of the district BNP president in Puniaot area of the district town.

Rizvi claimed that during the BNP’s tenure, full student panels won university elections, while under Sheikh Hasina's government, no student representative elections have been held in any university.

He urged party leaders and activists to unite under the banner of nationalist forces in order to save the country and protect its independence and sovereignty.

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“Vote for the paddy sheaf symbol in the February elections,” he said, calling on supporters to encourage their children to back nationalist forces in future DUCSU elections.

He further alleged that under Sheikh Hasina’s rule, rivers, canals, and other water bodies have been leased to neighboring countries, and that national interests were compromised to satisfy India.

“The country has suffered greatly,” Rizvi said, “but free and fair elections are essential for restoring normalcy.”

As an encouragement to young innovators in science and information technology, Rizvi also provided financial assistance on behalf of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman to three young scientists — Ahnaf bin Ashraf Nabil, Labib Islam, and Aryan Islam Aryan — who are set to participate in an international science fair in Malaysia next month.

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Among others, BNP Central Economic Affairs Secretary and District BNP President Engineer Khaled Hossain Mahbub Shyamal, Senior Vice President Zahirul Haque Khokon, Vice Presidents ABM Mominul Haque and Jasim Uddin Ripon, General Secretary Md. Sirajul Islam, and former district president and ex-mayor Hafizur Rahman Molla Kochi, were also present at the event.