BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday alleged that a deep-rooted conspiracy is underway within the state apparatus to undermine the achievements of August 5.

He made the remarks while addressing a primary membership collection and form distribution programme organised by the Metropolitan BNP at Rajbari Ground in Gazipur.

Rizvi warned that those attempting to sow division through unnecessary controversies will harm everyone if unity is not maintained. “There can be discussions and debates, but unity is essential.”

He claimed that efforts are being made to bring back individuals who had fled to neighbouring countries.

Criticising the Nationalist Citizen’s Party (NCP) for demanding the Water Lily (Shapla) symbol, Rizvi defended the BNP’s traditional symbol.

“For 47 years, our party symbol has been the paddy sheaf. Now they say that without the Water Lily, there can’t be a paddy sheaf. I want to remind them—the sheaf of rice symbol existed long before your birth. Why are you wasting time and weakening the pace of democratic unity by creating unnecessary debates?”

He said that such divisions could benefit defeated and anti-democratic forces. “The looters and enemies of democracy will seize this opportunity,” he warned.

Rizvi blames 15 years of poor education for rise in hooliganism

Gazipur Metropolitan BNP President Shawkat Hossain Sarker chaired the event, while  General Secretary M Manjurul Karim Rony moderated it.

BNP Dhaka Divisional Organising Secretary Kazi Sayedul Alam Babul, Executive Committee Member Dr Mazharul Alam, Membership Collection Team Head Dr Touhidur Rahman Awal, Former Jubo Dal Vice-President Zakir Hossain Nannu, and BNP leader Mahbubul Islam, also spoke at the event.