Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
Khaleda being deprived of due treatment: Fakhrul
Accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of making ‘discourteous’ remarks about ailing opposition leader Khaleda Zia, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the government is depriving her of the treatment she deserves.
“It’s unfortunate for the nation that such an unelected illegal prime minister is there in the office. She (PM) does not even have the minimum political etiquette. We can’t even imagine the statements she made yesterday (Tuesday) about Begum Khaleda Zia. It’s totally devoid of political etiquette,” he said.
Speaking at a doa mahfil, the BNP leader also said the prime minister has been making such comments against her arch-rival Khaleda out of political vengeance. “She is always zealous of our leader Khaleda Zia and she can’t tolerate her."
The doa mahfil (prayers) were held at the party’s central office at Naya Palton arranged by Jatiyatabdi Jubo Dal seeking divine blessings for the speedy recovery of Khaleda and the organisation’s general secretary Abdul Monayem Munna.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hasina alleged that BNP is staging a drama over sending Khaleda abroad for treatment.
She also said Khaleda goes to the hospital wearing makeup and well dressed. "On the other hand, her doctor reports that her condition is very bad and her liver has been seriously damaged. “Everyone knows what (drink/food) causes the liver to rot quickly.”
Fakhrul said the country’s people do not like such indecent and indecorous comments about Khaleda.
Recalling Khaleda’s long struggle and sacrifices for democracy, the BNP leader said she restored democracy by ousting the autocratic ruler in 1990.
Read: Fakhrul breaks down witnessing the cries of missing BNP leaders' children
“She became the prime minister of the country three times with the unconditional love of people. She’s still struggling for the country's democracy even staying in a hospital with illnesses,” he observed.
Fakhrul said the BNP chairperson is being denied the right to minimum treatment. “Her doctors have made it very clear repeatedly in press conferences that she needs to be treated in a specialized hospital or centre abroad.'
Denting Country's image
The BNP secretary general alleged that the ministers lied about the statement of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on the human rights situation in Bangladesh.
“She (Bachelet) held a press conference and said that human rights were being violated and the incidents of enforced disappearance were happening in the country and those need to be stopped. She also said that an independent, fair and impartial investigation is necessary into the incidents of rights violations,”
After her departure, Fakhrul said the ministers claimed that Bachelet did not say anything about human rights as the human rights situation is good in Bangladesh. “But a statement was issued on Tuesday from the office of the High Commission, saying that the government ministers have lied which has tarnished the country’s image,” he said.
Govt out to legitimise human rights violators by including IGP for UN police summit: BNP
BNP on Saturday accused the government of trying to give legitimacy to all the human rights violators by including Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed in Bangladesh's delegation to join the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit in New York.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also alleged that the government's "irresponsible" and "arrogant" behaviour is putting the country's international relations at risk.
"The 'illegal' Awami League government has tried to give legitimacy to all the human rights violators by including Benazir Ahmed, one of those who gave the order for committing terrible human rights violation activities like enforced disappearances, murders and extrajudicial killings against opposition leaders and activists, in the list (of the UN delegation members)," the BNP leader said.
The IGP has been named in the Bangladesh delegation for the two-day Police Summit scheduled to begin on August 31 despite the US sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and its seven current and former officials, including Benazir, for "gross human rights violations" by "indulging in enforced disappearances, murders and extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh," he added.
The BNP leader said the government has demonstrated that it would continue its atrocities against humanity, ignoring the international community, by including an internationally identified "criminal" as a representative of its delegation for the UN summit.
The government itself has to take the responsibility for this irresponsible, fascist and imprudent decision, he added.
"Confusion has arisen among the public as the US granted a conditional visa to IGP Benazir Ahmed to attend the summit. The Bangladesh government deliberately tarnished the image of the country by providing such a delegation list to the UN," the BNP leader said.
The IGP cannot join any other activity except for the specific UN summit as the US issued a conditional visa, he added. "We think that issuing visas, subject to such conditions, is an insult to Bangladesh."
Benazir reportedly received the US visa on Thursday to join the summit as one of the six members of the Bangladesh delegation, led by Home Minister Asaduzzam Khan. The delegation is scheduled to leave Dhaka for the USA on Sunday night.
Read: AL govt’s fall is now only goal of BNP: Fakhrul
The UNCOPS 2022 will bring together ministers, chiefs of police, and senior representatives of regional and professional policing organisations at the UN Headquarters.
In December last year, the US imposed sanctions on seven former and current officials, including Benazir, of Rab on charge of grave human rights violations. Benazir served as the director general of Rab before becoming the country's police chief.
Fakhrul alleged that many leaders and activists of their party were made to disappear, killed in crossfire, arrested and tortured without trial.
"There is no democratic atmosphere in the country now. There is no right to hold political meetings. The media has been forced to exercise self-censorship," he said.
About their ongoing movement across the country from August 22 in protest against the increase in the prices of fuel and daily necessities and power outage, Fakhrul said their party leaders and activists were attacked in more than 50 places and 300 of them were injured.
Police arrested over 200 BNP leaders and activists while around 2,000 others were accused in different political cases, he added.
Asked whether BNP will back off from the movement in face of attacks and obstacles, Fakhrul said, "There is no reason to do so. We started the movement with the goal to remove this terrible, monstrous regime and establish a democratic system."
"We think the victory of the people is inevitable in the path of truth and justice."
AL govt’s fall is now only goal of BNP: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday categorically said the fall of the Awami League government is now the the only goal of the main opposition party.
“The absolute reality is that now a terrible fascist and monstrous regime is destroying everything we have. Our only goal now is to resist and defeat them (govt),” he said.
Speaking at a discussion marking national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s 46th death anniversary, the BNP leader urged the people to be imbued with the rebellious spirit of the national poet and come forward with the goal of restoring democray.
“Let us remember him (Nazrul) anew now and move forward upholding his spirit. This should be our vow on this day of his death,” he said.
Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Foundation arranged the programme titled “The Politics of Nazrul-the politics of Bangladesh” at the Jatiya Press Club.
Describing Nazrul as a "poet of world humanity", Fakhrul said, his poetry has always inspired the exploited and oppressed people to wake up.
Read:BNP turns down EC’s move to use EVMs up to 150 seats
“Kazi Nazrul Islam is more relevant in today's context to inspire people to fight against injustice, despotism, torture and oppression. When my brother Noor-e-Alam was shot dead in Bhola or when my brother Ilias Ali was made disappeared and all our leaders and activists were tortured and when we see our leader Begum Khaleda Zia was unfairly jailed, Nazrul Islam seems more relevant to me,” he observed.
Fakhrul bemoaned that Nazrul is now being ignored in the country in many ways.
“His poems and essays are not included in the curriculum of Bengali literature. I have noticed that Nazrul Islam's songs are very rarely aired on electronic channels,” he observed.
The BNP leader also said the newspapers are now not publishing supplements with importance like in the past on Nazrul Islam's birthday or death anniversary. “I don't see it. This is extreme narrowness. This is an effort to push the people of Bangladesh towards a wrong direction.”
The 46th death anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam will be observed on Saturday amid various programmes.
Nazrul, revered as Bidrohi Kobi (a rebel poet) for his activism for political and social justice, breathed his last in Dhaka on 12th Bhadro of Bangla calendar year 1383 (August 29, 1976) at the age of 77. He was buried with full state honour beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque.
Nazrul wrote a large body of poetry and music with themes that included love, humanity, secularism, religious devotion and spiritual rebellion against all sorts of oppression.
BNP for proactive role of Asian, western countries in resolving Rohingya crisis
Stating that Rohingyas are becoming a big burden for Bangladesh, BNP on Thursday said the repatriation of Myanmar’s displaced citizens will not be possible without a proactive role of the international community, especially that of the influential Asian and western countries.
Speaking at a press conference, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also said the government has failed miserably to resolve the Rohingya problem over the last five years as it has been using the issue for its political gain.
“Bangladesh has been bearing the burden of more than 1 million Rohingyas while on average 30,000 Rohingya children are being added every year. Accordingly, the number of Rohingyas has increased to more than 12 lakhs in the last 4 years and this number will continue to increase day by day,” he said.
Against this backdrop, the BNP leader said international solidarity toward Bangladesh and Rohingya refugees is needed now more than ever.
“It’s not possible to send the Rohingyas back to Myanmar unless the international community, including India, China, Japan, the United States and the European countries exert more effective pressure,”
He said the Bangladesh government has to intensify its diplomatic and political efforts to encourage the international community to mount pressure on Myanmar to take back its citizens.
“Though many countries of the world have protested the violence against the Rohingyas, it is regrettable that Myanmar also has large business relations with many of them. The Bangladesh government should identify this dual position of the countries and stop them by carrying out vigorous diplomatic efforts,” he observed.
Read: Human Rights Violation: BNP wants impendent probe under UN supervision
Fakhrul bemoaned that the current government is failing to take a clear, effective and specific position on the issues due to narrow political reasons.
BNP arranged the press conference at its chairperson’s Gulshan office, marking five years since the first of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya men, women, boys, and girls fled violence and persecution in Myanmar and sought refuge in what is now the world’s largest refugee settlement in Cox’s Bazar.
Fakhrul warned that Bangladesh is going to fall into a big crisis as the government has failed to take any effective steps to resolve this crisis.
Underscoring the need for establishing a democratic government in the country to resolve this crisis, he said the government has failed to exert pressure internationally on Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingyas due to its knee-jerk foreign policy. “As this government is not a democratic one, it could not get support for Rohingya repatriation in the international arena."
The BNP secretary general said the Rohingya problem is causing unbearable pressure on the economy of Bangladesh apart from creating extreme instability and uncertainty in the local environment and social life.
“Drug trade, women trafficking and various anti-social and illegal activities are going on in Rohingya camps which are contributing to the making the situation turbulent and unstable. Rohingyas are involved in drug smuggling and drug trafficking and indulging in internal conflict. These issues have become a cause of extreme concern,” he said.
Govt using energy sector as weapon to 'plunder' public money: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the Awami League government has been using the energy sector as a weapon to plunder public money.
“The main reason behind the current energy crisis is corruption. It (energy) is a great weapon for the government. They have been using the energy sector as a major tool for plundering through corruption," he said.
Speaking at a seminar, the BNP leader said the government has been plundering public money from every other sector apart from energy as well, putting people’s lives and livelihoods at stake.
“You have seen how they have indulged in corruption in the health sector, endangering people’s lives and health during the Covid period. You have also seen how five people lost their lives when a girder fell in Uttara while hundreds of people are dying in accidents on the bridges and roads across the country,” he observed.
The BNP leader compared the Awami League government with the notorious and brutal Bargis - a light cavalry mercenary group of the Maratha Empire known for large-scale plunder in Bengal during the Maratha invasions in the 18th century. “They (AL) are now playing the role of Bargis.”
BNP arranged the seminar titled “Corruption is the source of the energy crisis” at the Jatiya Press Club.
Read: AL’s character to blame BNP for its own misdeeds: Mirza Fakhrul
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who was the power and energy minister in Khaleda Zia's government in 1991, presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
In the keynote paper, Mosharraf highlighted the adverse effects of the rise in fuel prices on the economy, the suffering of the common people, and rampant corruption and plundering by the ruling party in the power and energy sector.
Fakhrul said the freedom fighters liberated the country to establish a free, sovereign, liberal and democratic society, but the current regime has completely turned the country into a ‘fascist’ state, obliterating democracy and people’s rights: “We now can't talk anywhere, can't write anywhere and can't go anywhere.”
He also said corruption is widespread in the country due to the lack of democracy and accountability of the government.
Referring to extensive security measures that were taken on Sunday centering Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s programme marking the August 21 grenade attack of 2004, the BNP leader questioned why the head of government is so tense about her security.
He alleged that the Prime Minister has been repeatedly talking about plots to mislead people.
“Why are you saying again and again that a conspiracy is being hatched? If this is the case, how have you run the country for the past 15-16 (sic) years? You say that terrorism has been eliminated. So why are you thinking about it now? They’re running Bangladesh every moment by resorting to lies and deception and fooling people,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul said people have started to wake up now on their own. “Police claimed Sumon Sheikh committed suicide after he was taken to thana ( Hatirjheel Police Station). But actually, he was tortured to death. People took over the roads themselves and laid siege to the gate of the police station (protesting the incident.”.
Besides, he said the tea workers came out on the streets demanding an increase in their daily wages to Tk300 from Tk120.
The BNP secretary general demanded the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament and holding of the next election under a non-partisan caretaker administration to establish a government of the people.
Those who are in power with others’ help can’t rule Bangladesh: Fakhrul
Slamming the foreign minister for seeking India’s 'support' to prop up Sheikh Hasina's government, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said those who stay in power at the mercy of others have no right to rule Bangladesh.
“The current government does not believe in the independence and sovereignty of the country and they’re giving proof of this one after another. When the people of Bangladesh feel proud to identify themselves as an independent (nation), then the foreign minister sought help from the Indian government to keep Sheikh Hasina in power,” he said.
Speaking at a human chain programme, Fakhrul said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen’s comment has manifested that the Awami League government has been in power with the help of the Indian government.
He said the foreign minister gave an explanation of his statement on Friday but did not budge from his position and he reaffirmed what he said earlier.
“So we have to clearly say that those who stay in power at the mercy of others have no right to rule this country. They have no right to run the government of this country,” the BNP leader said.
University Teachers' Association of Bangladesh (UTAB) arranged the program protesting the loadshedding, hikes in the prices of fuel and essential commodities and political repression.
Read: Corruption being patronized from top level of govt: BNP
Earlier at a Janmashtami programme in Chattogram on Thursday, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen reportedly said that he urged the Indian government to back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina so that she can stay in power.
Accusing the government of indulging in widespread plundering, Fakhrul said this regime has got isolated from the country’s people. “They’ve already turned Bangladesh into a failed state."
He said the country is facing various problems as Awami League is in power. “This is the root cause of our all crisis. Awami League has been staying in power by force using the state machinery without voting and without being elected.”
“It’s now our sacred duty to wage a movement together with people to remove this fascist government that is destroying Bangladesh and establish a real government of people,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul said their party is not now thinking about any election as a movement is the only option to oust the current government. “Now our only demand is the resignation of this regime.”
He called upon the university teachers to get united to wage a strong anti-government movement. “It’s now your (teachers’) duty to awaken all the intellectuals, conscious people and the youth to take part in the movement. “
The BNP leader alleged that the government has completely destroyed the education system and higher education through politicisation and appointing worthless and flatterers as the VCs to different universities.
He bemoaned that the lives of common people have become miserable due to the various exploitive decisions of the government. “The prices of rice, pulses, oil and vegetables have increased to such an extent that it has become impossible for the common and low-income people to survive.”
Fakhrul said the elite plunderers, including Awami League leaders at different levels, their ministers and some bureaucrats, are only now having a good time as they are amassing huge wealth through looting public money in the name of different projects.
He alleged that people now cannot freely express their opinion while journalists cannot write freely due to the Digital Security Act and the interference by the intelligence agencies. “Everything is controlled here by these illegal government’s intelligence agencies. It can never be a democratic country. Awami League must be held accountable for making Bangladesh a failed state.”
We must take control of streets as victory is inevitable: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday urged the people, especially the youth, to get ready to intensify the movement against the current ‘fascist regime’ by taking control of the streets as their victory is inevitable.
“I would like to say drawing attention of students and the youth that when we’re young we waged a war and liberated the country…the youth have to now wake up once again to liberate the country afresh for ensuring our future safety, prosperity, justice, parity, social esteem and building a new Bangladesh,” he said.
Speaking at a huge public rally in the city’s Nayapaltan central office, he said their party has initiated a movement to save the 18 crore people of Bangladesh and protect the country from misrule.
Also read: AL can't be allowed to cling to power anymore: Fakhrul
“We all must get into this movement. We’ll have to take to the streets with fresh vigour and take their control to establish a government of people in the true sense by ousting the present fascist and monstrous regime. Our victory is inevitable,”
He also urged the government to step down immediately handing over power to a non-party neutral administration shouldering its failure to resolve people’s problems. “The parliament must be dissolved and the Election Commission has to be reconstituted for forming a new government and parliament of people through a credible election.”
Fakhrul said their party will spread their anti-government movement across the country’s villages and upazilas with programmes like rallies and demonstrations from August 22. “We’ll force this government to quit and arrange a fresh election under a non-party government through our movement by uniting people.
BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally protesting the latest hike in fuel prices and the power crisis.
Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies started to gather in the area since 10 am blocking both sides of the road stretching from Bijoynagar crossing to Fakirerpool, causing immense sufferings to commuters.
The rally was also meant for registering the party’s protest against the soaring prices of all essential commodities, ongoing load shedding and the killing of two leaders of its associate bodies by police in Bhola.
Also read: Fuel price hike: BNP’s huge protest rally underway at Nayapaltan
Besides, the party’s all metropolitan city and district units will arrange protest rallies across the country on Friday.
Fakhrul said people are going through a tough time as prices of all essentials, including rice, pulses and oil are going up. “On the other hand, the power crisis is deepening. “The common people are the worst affected by the fuel price hike as the prices of all essentials are increasing further.
The BNP leader said the government has not taken any step to explore gas in the country only to plunder public money in the name of importing LNG and LPG from abroad. “The power tariffs have been increased repeatedly because of the import of gas with their own people.”
Besides, Fakhrul said the government has been spending Tk28,000 crore on the quick rental power plants. “Already Tk78,000 crore have been siphoned off abroad from the country.”
Referring to the statistics of the Export Promotion Bureau, he said US$270 billion have been exported from Bangladesh in the last seven years. But the Bangladesh Bank is showing a figure of US$249 billion. Where did the remaining $30.40 billion go? The nation wants to know this.”
The BNP secretary general alleged that their many leaders and workers of the party were arrested and obstructed at different places on their way to Nayapaltan rally. “They (govt) fear even our peaceful rally as they have usurped power by force. As they have no legitimacy they are always afraid of facing a fall.”
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged that the government has increased the fuel prices only to plunder public money. “The Prime Minister earlier said we don’t import octane and petrol. So, why did the government increase the prices of fuel?
He also alleged that the government has been giving people the wrong information about the country’s foreign currency reserves in a bid to mislead them. “The businessmen are facing difficulties to open LC to import food and other goods for shortage of dollars in the country. If the country has adequate reserves, then why the government resorts to load shedding and increases fuel prices.”
Referring to the remarks of Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard that the government did not seek information on the deposits of Bangladeshi money in the Swiss banks, Mosharraf said this government knows very well that their party leaders are involved in money laundering. “That’s why they did not seek information about it.”
He said there is now no alternative to waging a united movement to protect the country’s people from the hands of the current ‘despotic’, ‘looter’ and ‘fascist’ regime.
BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, vice chairmen Abdullah Al Noman and Abdul Awal Mintoo, among others, addressed the rally.
Make public names of conspirators: Fakhrul to PM
Stating that an anti-government movement cannot be a plot, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to make public the names of those conspiring against her.
“The Prime Minister said yesterday (Wednesday) that a new plot has begun to oust her and she knows the conspirators. I would like to urge her…. you please clearly make public their names. The nation wants to know who they are,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion programme, he categorically said any movement for toppling a government is not a conspiracy.
“We would like to clearly and openly declare that we want to establish a pro-people government by removing this fascist and authoritarian regime through a mass movement. There’s no question of any plot here,” the BNP leader said.
Also read: Don't cry, wake up: Fakhrul to BNP activists
He said it is Awami League that came to power by resorting to conspiracy in 2008.
Fakhrul said a vested quarter in a planned way hatched a conspiracy to defeat BNP in 2008 and filled ballot boxes on the night before the voting day to ensure Awami League’s victory.
“The election was held in the same way in 2018...Even, the Jatiya Party secretary general said voting was held at night and they themselves did it,” the BNP leader observed.
The pro-BNP faction of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) arranged the programme at Jatiya Press Club, marking its founding anniversary.
Earlier on Thursday, PM Hasina said a fresh plot has begun to oust her from power as the country is heading towards another national election.
“Conspiracies were hatched before the national elections in 2014 and 2018. They are again hatching their conspiracies to remove me from power. I know all of them [conspirators]," she said.
Fakhrul alleged that Awami League shut down many media outlets, repressed and killed many journalists, implicated many of them in different cases and enacted the Digital Security Act to gag the media. “It’s natural for Awami League as it’s their basic character. Awami League doesn’t believe in democracy. It’s also the party’s character to deceive people. This party does exactly the opposite of what it says”
Also read: BNP, Montu-led Gonoforum agree on simultaneous anti-govt movement
About the change in the superintendent of police (SP) in 40 out of 64 districts, he said those who genuinely belong to Awami League were made SPs through the fresh reshuffle in the police administration.
Besides, he said the government appointed 11 additional judges to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court. “If you investigate, you’ll find all of them are Awami cadres. Has this country been liberated only for Awami League?
He said Bangladesh is now under the worst form of authoritarian rule since there is no democracy and no press freedom. “So, there’s no point in talking about democracy and justice here. Ensuring the fall of this regime through a united movement of people is the only way left for us.”
AL leaders even won’t get time to carry hurricane lamps, flee through back door: Fakhrul
Calling upon his party colleagues to roar on the streets protesting the killing of a Swechchasebak Dal leader in police firing, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday warned that the Awami League leaders will not even get time to flee through the back door.
“They (govt) have talked about giving hurricane lamps in the hands of BNP leaders. But the time has come for you to hold the hurricane lamps in your hands. Even, you won’t get time to hold the hurricane lamps and flee through the back door,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka could not flee the country while its president Gotabaya Rajapaksa escaped to the Maldives. “The dictators want to flee but people don’t let them do so. You should keep it in mind.”
BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the killing of Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim in police firing in Bhola.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina slammed BNP for staging protests carrying the hurricane lamp against the government's power-saving measures.
"BNP leaders are holding demonstrations with hurricane lamps. Let's give them hurricane lamps to carry, and show them the door," she said.
Fakhrul alleged that the Awami League government has turned Bangladesh into a cremation ground over the last 15 years through its ‘repression’ and ‘misrule’.
Read:BNP holds talks with People's League, Jatiya Dal to wage greater movement
“You have also turned Bangladesh into a fascist and failed state. Where’s your success? Showing Metrorail and the Padma Bridge they highlight their all success. But 42%of people have gone below the poverty line. Many of our people now can’t eat two meals a day,” he observed.
The BNP leader alleged that the government has ruined the educational institutions, the health sector and the economy. “So, we can’t give them (AL) more time to hang onto power. The fall of Hasina's government is now our one-point demand.”
He called upon the BNP leaders and activists to get ready for realising their one-point demand and establish a pro-people government through a credible election under a neutral government.
Fakhrul said their party’s all associate bodies will start staging demonstrations gradually from Thursday in protest against the killing of Abdur Rahim.
Later, he said their party will work out their next course of action at a meeting led by BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
As the party activists were demanding a harsher programme like hartal, Fakhrul advised them to first establish their control on the streets.
“Are you all ready to take to the streets? Nothing will happen if we can’t take a position on the streets. So, get ready to take to the streets to establish a government of people by ousting the fascist and authoritarian regime,” he said pointing at his party colleagues.
Fakhrul said police attacked a rally of BNP in Bhola without any provocation and sprayed bullets on the party leaders and activists, killing Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and injuring many others.
Fakhrul said critically injured Bhola Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Noor Alam has been fighting for life in an ICU of a hospital as he sustained a bullet in his head.
“We the people of Bangladesh can’t sit idle when Awami forces--worse than the Pakistani occupation forces--use the state machinery and resort to killings, enforced disappearances and repressive acts. We must roar again recalling our old tradition and history and we have to establish control on the streets to topple the usurper regime,” he said.
We can’t let blood of slain Bhola Swechchasebak Dal leader go in vain: Fakhrul
Stating that the blood of Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim will not go in vain, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday vowed to intensify their anti-government movement by turning the grief into strength.
“The fascist Awami regime has made it clear that it wants to suppress the movement by resorting to repression through firing bullets by police. But Abdur Rahim’s blood in Bhola has proved that the people of this country will never accept the repressive policies of the despotic government,” he said.
In a brief address prior to a gayebana namaz-e-janaza in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Fakhrul said the people of Bjola has also sent out a message that they will restore democracy and free the country from misrule even by sacrificing their lives and blood.
“We cannot let Abdur Rahim's blood go in vain. So this grief has to be transformed into strength. We must move forward holding the spirit of his (Rahim’s) sacrifice of life and blood and we have to defeat this government by intensifying our movement.”
Fakhrul alleged that police opened fire on a peaceful rally in Bhola, killing Swechasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and injuring over a hundred people, including BNP central leader ABM Mosharraf Hossain, there.
"The blood of my democracy-loving brothers has been shed by the police firing in Bhola. It was a completely peaceful rally demanding electricity. But the police of Sheikh Hasina's fascist government fired bullets on that rally,” he said.
As part of BNP’s countrywide demonstration programme protesting the load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in Bhola on Sunday morning.
Read: Hope that will get you through: Fakhrul to BNP activists
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11:30 am, triggering a clash.
Later, police fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells that left Abdur Rahm dead and injured many other leaders and activists of the party.
BNP announced a two-day nationwide programme, including gayebana janaza in protest against police firing at the rally.
As part of the programme, the party leaders and activists joined the gayebana namaz-e-janaza in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in memory of Abdur Rahim.
BNP senior leaders and over a hundred leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies participate in the programme.
The party will also stage demonstrations in all districts, including in Dhaka, on Tuesday in protest against the killing of Abdul Rahim, member secretary of Bhola’s South Dighaldi Union Swechchasebak Dal.