BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday urged Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to run the government with a strong hand and proceed towards holding the national election soon, maintaining neutrality.
“I would like to call upon the chief of the interim government to lead your government with a strong hand. Let no one get scope to say that you are exhibiting any favoritism,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul made this call while addressing a discussion over BDR carnage, arranged by BNP, at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the city in memory of the martyred army officers who were killed in the 2009 Pilkhana tragedy.
He said they do not want to hear such words about him because he is a very famous person throughout the world.
“We hope that you will proceed towards the election by maintaining complete impartiality, completing the minimum necessary reforms as soon as possible,” said the BNP secretary general.
He said they expect from Prof Yunus that he would hold a free and fair election to bring stability and peace in the country and also prosperity for the future Bangladesh.
Following the ouster of fascist Hasina through the student-people mass uprising, a new opportunity has been created to build a new Bangladesh as a democratic and prosperous state, but now conspiracies continue to destroy that opportunity again, he said.
Fakhrul alleged that Sheikh Hasina, staying in India, is planning and conspiring to thwart all the achievements of this mass uprising and victory as well to create anarchy and an unstable situation in Bangladesh.
“As part of her conspiracy, an unstable situation is being created in different ways from various parts,” he said.
Hasina spearheaded Pilkhana carnage for two days: Fakhrul
He said the interim government that came through the student-people revolution was formed on the basis of the blood sacrifices from some 2000 students and people. So, everyone hopes that this government will fulfill the expectations of people, he said.
Fakhrul said his party has repeatedly said a stable situation will not be achieved unless a democratic system is established in the country. “That is why we have been saying from the beginning that one thing - a people's government must be established in the country through a truly impartial election,” he said.
But now, there are attempts to take the country towards anarchy by raising various questions about this point (election), he said.
The BNP leader said now some quarters are trying to unfairly make the country unstable and the people of the country agitated as well as trying to bring everyone to the streets in various ways.
“In the same way, they are trying to create anarchy in the country. This is not good for the independence and democracy of Bangladesh at all. This is not good for the stability of Bangladesh at all,” he said.
Fakhrul urged the people of the country to stay united by stopping mudslinging and debate and controversy to reach a democratic system.
BNP Does Want Reform
The BNP secretary general said many people are now criticising his party and trying to say that the BNP is pressing for only the election but doesn’t want reform.
The critics are spreading such big lies and false propaganda against BNP in various ways particularly on social media, he said.
“A few persons, a handful of men, have targeted the BNP. They want to humiliate the BNP by resorting to negative campaigns and propaganda (against the party),” said Mirza Fakhrul.
He said BNP is a party that protected the country’s independence and sovereignty in the past and will do so now as well.
About the Pilkhana carnage, the BNP leader said 57 brilliant army officers were killed in a well-planned manner. So many army officers had not been killed even in the Liberation War, he said.
“So, come forward to take a vow that we’ll protect the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh at any cost, ensure stability and restore democracy in Bangladesh,” he added.
BNP standing committee member Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed presided over the event, while BNP standing committee member Selima Rahman, BNP Chairperson's advisory council member Abdus Salam, RAB-2 Commander during the BDR mutiny Lt Col (Retd) Shamsuzzaman Khan and Major General Shakil Ahmed’s son Rakin Ahmed, also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, a documentary about the 2009 BDR mutiny was screened at the event.