BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday lamented that some individuals within the country are trying to create a rift in the national unity forged during the anti-fascist mass uprising. “There is no division among us. Unfortunately, however, some people in our country are now trying to sow discord in this unity. I know that attempt won’t succeed,” he said. Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing the first national council of the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) at Suhrawardy Udyan. The BNP leader expressed confidence that the nation will certainly achieve its desired goal through united efforts. Khasru trashes minus-two formula, calls for restoration of democracy He, however, said all need to be patient to materialise the dream of rebuilding a new Bangladesh.  “We all must be cautious so that we do not destroy that potential through rashness, wrong decisions and wrong steps,” Fakhrul said. He said it is a fact that the country’s economic situation is not very good amid a fragile political situation. “We want to tackle this together, and we want to overcome all problems together. If we have been able to remove that monster and the fascists by working together, then why can’t we rebuild the state with new possibilities?” the BNP leader said. Reiterating that the BNP has always advocated for state reforms, he said some people wrongly claim that the party demands the election before reforms or that it is restless for the election. “That is not the case. Why do we want the election to be held promptly? We want it soon because it will strengthen us further, once an elected government and parliament are in place. The crises that have arisen will also be resolved then,” he observed. Mirza Fakhrul calls for non-political unity in sports He said many are asking what the nation achieved after the five months of mass uprising. "The achievement is that today we can stand here and speak without hesitation and fear. I consider this a big victory for us." The BNP leader acknowledged that the AB Party has played a big role in making the mass movement a success. "Democratic movements against fascists are rarely successful, but our students have made it a success through their vehement movement, freeing us from the hands of a terrible monster," he said. Fakhrul said the nation is now dreaming of building a new Bangladesh again and talking about it as a favourable situation has been created. 'Jamaat chief’s remarks hurt, still hope for united movement': BNP leader "We shouldn’t destroy this environment and the dream. What is needed now is that, despite all the provocations, we should remain steadfast in our decision to return to a democratic system," he said. The BNP leader said they want to eliminate discrimination as they want to join hands with the youth of Bangladesh, standing shoulder to shoulder with them to build a new Bangladesh.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday lamented that the biggest problem in Bangladesh is that political parties talk about democracy but fail to practise it, thus hindering the development of democratic institutions. Speaking at the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Economics Department at Dinajpur Government College, he also said though the democratic struggle ended on August 5, the nation has failed to find a path towards building the country together in unison. “The biggest problem in Bangladesh is that we speak about democracy but do not practise it. There have been successive attempts to kill democracy. As a result, our democratic institutions have not developed,” he said. The BNP leader also said that political parties in Bangladesh have long been engaged in conflict and rivalry with one another. “However, if we can move forward by practising democracy with tolerance, we can establish true democracy and secure our rights,” he said. He also bemoaned that the people of the country, including the new generation, have been unable to exercise their right to vote over the past 15 years. “What kind of democracy is this, where people lose the opportunity to exercise their rights?” Fakhrul said politicians have a failure that even after 54 years of independence they still have not been able to make Bangladesh a happy and peaceful country of love and affection. BNP expels Lalbagh Ward leader over extortion  “We suffer from narrow-minded politics. We have lost our morality to the lowest level. Even a few days ago, we could not say that we are a proud nation. Now, once again, hope is rekindled among us, and we begin to dream. In the true sense, we’re trying to build a happy, beautiful, loving, democratic, and prosperous Bangladesh, the one envisioned by the proclaimer of democracy, Ziaur Rahman,” he said. The BNP leader recalled with gratitude that many brave sons of the soil and political activists have sacrificed their lives to free the country from the grip of the fascist Awami League regime. “Our political workers have long endured unusual and inhuman torture. Over 800 leaders and workers have been subjected to enforced disappearance, while false cases have been filed against more than 60 lakh political leaders and workers. Thousands of leaders and workers have been killed without trial. What a terrible situation we have endured,” he said. Fakhrul said new possibilities have now arisen to build the country and move forward with united efforts. “But I don’t know why we can’t rise above narrow-mindedness. I appeal to all concerned: let us stand up. Let’s determine a path that is clear, true, and beautiful--rising above narrowness--to materialise our dreams.” Appreciating the youth, the BNP leader said he is overwhelmed by the way the younger generation and university students are voicing their opinions to build a new Bangladesh. “They are talking about change with patriotism...Our children have immense potential to show us the way to develop the country. We have to catch this point. So don't think only negatively. We must proceed with mutual tolerance and respect.” “No matter what political thoughts I have, if there is patriotism and love for the country, then surely we can utilize the scope that has been created now (through the mass uprising),” he said. In his 30-minute address, Fakhrul also slammed the Awami League regime for ruining the country’s economy through widespread plundering. “Our entire wealth has been looted and siphoned off abroad. Around $16 billion has been laundered every year. As a result, over $280 billion has been siphoned off abroad in the last 15 years,” the BNP leader said. He also said the Awami League established fascism in Bangladesh by taking control of all state institutions to make its power absolute, creating an atmosphere of fear so that no one could speak out. Rizvi calls Jamaat's statement on patriotism "ridiculous" “By Allah’s infinite grace, we have come out of that situation, and an opportunity has arisen to make Bangladesh a truly democratic country,” Fakhrul said. Acknowledging his age, the BNP leader said, “I am old enough to leave this world very happily if I could see that Bangladesh has truly become a country of love and affection.” He also expressed dismay that Bangladesh’s economy is now facing a crisis and disaster, as the fascist Awami League regime has destroyed the country’s economy over the last 15 years. Fakhrul called upon economists to come forward and help steer the country’s economy back on track. He also reminisced about his days in Dinajpur as a teacher in the Economics Department of Dinajpur Government College. “I spent the most beautiful time of my life in Dinajpur and at Dinajpur College,” he said.

Reiterating the demand for an immediate election, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said an unelected government should not remain in power for a long period. “We have no objection to carrying out reforms. But the biggest problem now is the chaos and instability in Bangladesh. These problems will be significantly alleviated if there is an elected government,” he said while addressing a discussion. A faction of the Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club. Fakhrul said an elected government can assert its power to deal with problems effectively as they have public mandate.  “We must always remember this. We also strongly advocate for reforms. But we also believe that the unelected government should not remain in power for a long time,” he said. Voter Age: BNP criticises CA's proposal Fakhrul said the main task of the interim government is to arrange a credible election and hand over power to the elected representatives of people. The BNP leader affirmed that his party still fully supports the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus. He also expressed a desire for the interim government to succeed and they are ready to offer all necessary cooperation to ensure its success. The BNP leader said they also want the interim government to succeed and they are ready to offer all necessary cooperation to ensure its success. “My biggest request is to arrange the election swiftly. Otherwise, the ongoing crisis, problems, acts of sabotage, and border issues cannot be contained,” Fakhrul observed. Rizvi warns interim govt against setting reform and election on opposite poles He said reform is not a new concept reform is not a new concept, as the BNP presented its reform proposal in 2016 with Vision-2030, followed by a 31-point proposal in 2022. “You (govt) have set up several commissions for reforms, and they are working. That’s fine. But with whom are these commissions working? They have brought in some scholars... we know them well and respect them. However, at the same time, you must engage with the people to understand what they want,” Fakhrul said. The BNP leader said carrying out reforms is a continuous process and will not end anytime soon. “But we can’t delay the election for the sake of reforms. We can’t allow an unelected government to continue to run the country day after day in name of completing reforms.” Referring to newspaper reports, Fakhrul said two to three more political parties would be formed before the election. “We have no objection if another two or three parties are formed as part of the electoral process. We wouldn’t even mind if one hundred or two hundred parties emerge. The question is, how useful will they be for the nation?” he said. ‘Advisers not fit to be our opponents’: BNP’s Nazrul Fakhrul lamented that social media is dangerously creating an environment where anyone can become a politician, philosopher, journalist, or YouTuber. He said many are now making political statements and comments, sometimes even mocking political parties. “This is not fair and should not happen.” The BNP leader alleged that ordinary people in the country are facing a difficult time due to the rising prices of essential items, including rice, pulses, oil, salt, eggs and chicken. “The lives of the common people have become unbearable.” He accused the interim government of showing no concern for this issue, as they have not taken action to reduce the price of commodities. “When we raise this issue, they say it’s not possible to resolve quickly. But we want to see your initiative. We want to know what measures have been taken. We have not seen the advisers or those in charge going to the markets, talking to people, and understanding where the problems lie,” the BNP leader said. Fakhrul also alleged that the government has failed to ensure any relief to the people through effective steps. Interim govt weakest in history, election needed by 2025: BNP leader “I attended an event yesterday (Friday), where Debapriya Bhattacharya made an important point: everyone wants reforms, but they also want relief. They want relief in the markets, and they do not want to be killed on the streets,” he said. Fakhrul called upon the government to focus on administration and governance to achieve the desired goals and fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people. He said the July-August mass uprising had created a new opportunity to build a new Bangladesh by ousting the fascist rule of Sheikh Hasina.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that the Chief Adviser’s suggestion to set the minimum age for becoming a voter at 17 has sparked controversy, as it could delay the election process.                                          “Prof Yunus has proposed that the minimum age for becoming voters should be 17. This means a new voter list would have to be prepared,” he told a discussion. The programme was organised by a faction of the Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) at the Jatiya Press Club. Fakhrul said Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus talked about a matter on which there is no consensus. Investigate and identify culprits of secretariat fire: BNP  "Now, people will fear that even more time will be wasted, and further delays will occur to do it (in preparing the voter list). I don't know why there is an impression among the people that this government is deliberately trying to delay the election process, but that is not my perception," he said. The BNP leader said the Chief Adviser should not have raised the issue without first consulting the stakeholders. “You are the Chief Executive, and you said that 17 years is better. When you say this, it becomes binding on the Election Commission,” he said. Fakhrul said the government should have left the matter to the Election Commission, allowing it to make a decision. Border killings are never acceptable: Mirza Fakhrul He claimed that the current minimum age of 18 for becoming a voter is acceptable to all. “If you want to reduce it by one year, then let the new Election Commission propose it and engage in discussions with the political parties. When he (the Chief Adviser) first said 17 years, it became binding and put pressure on the Commission,” the BNP leader said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir returned to his Gulshan residence on Monday afternoon after receiving treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Savar Cantonment for over two hours. The BNP Secretary General returned home at 2 pm, said party’s standing committee member Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain. He said Fakhrul’s condition is now stable, and he is doing well. “He is now taking rest.” Fakhrul falls sick, taken to Savar CMH Zahid said the BNP Secretary General underwent several tests at the CMH. “The reports are good. The doctors at the CMH reviewed the results and discharged the BNP Secretary General, allowing him to return home.” He said that Fakhrul, along with thousands of BNP leaders and activists, paid tribute to the brave martyrs of the Liberation War by laying wreaths at the National Memorial. “There was a huge crowd there. When the Secretary General was about to speak to the press after paying tribute, he fell ill due to the pressure of the crowd,” Zahid said. Rizvi slams interim govt over price hike, extortion He was rushed to the CMH. “By the grace of Allah, upon arriving at the hospital, specialist doctors from various departments, including Medicine, Cardiology, and ICU, promptly began treating the Secretary General and conducted some tests.”

Denouncing the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday expected that Indians would respect the democratic aspirations of the citizens of the new Bangladesh. “We hope that Indians would respect the democratic aspirations of the citizens of the new Bangladesh and help the trial of the Awami League fascist leaders who stay in India by sending them back (to Bangladesh),” he said in a statement. BNP demands withdrawal of Mamata's UN peacekeeper statement Fakhrul said they strongly condemn the attack by extremists on the premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission at North Agartala in India.  “It is believed that the attack on the premises of the Assistant High Commission by the members of the organisation named "Hindu Sangha Samiti" was pre-planned,” he said. Tarique's acquittal proves cases were politically motivated: Fakhrul Taking down the Bangladesh flag, setting it on fire and carrying out vandalism after entering the Assistant High Commission is a clear violation of the Geneva Convention, said the BNP Secretary General. “We would request the Government of India and the people of India that the use of hatred in Bangladesh as a tactic of your domestic politics will create lasting tension in the relationship between the two countries,” Fakhrul added.

A Dhaka court today (November 22, 2023) rejected the bail plea of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a case filed over vandalising the chief justice's residence during his party’s grand rally on October 28. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court’s Acting Judge Foysal Atique Bin Quader passed the order after hearing the bail plea placed by Fakhrul's lawyers.   Though there was a schedule to hold the hearing of the bail plea on November 20, the court later deferred it till November 22 after the state counsel had filed a petition seeking time. Read: Authorities in foreign countries alerted about rumormongers against Bangladesh: Hasan Mahmud  On November 2, Advocate Joynul Abedin filed a petition seeking bail for the BNP leader. The court fixed November 20 for the hearing. On October 30, a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate sent Fakhrul to jail in the case after the investigating officer produced him before it with a plea to keep him in jail in connection with the case. The Detective Branch (DB) of police detained Fakhrul from his Gulshan residence on October 29. Read: Fakhrul’s bail hearing deferred till Nov 22 Nearly 10 hours after his detention, Mirza Fakhrul was shown arrested in the case. Fakhrul, among 59 leaders and activists of BNP, was accused in the case filed with Ramna Police Station. 

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that the dengue outbreak has turned epidemic in the country because of rampant corruption in the health sector. "The government has miserably failed to prevent dengue due to its incompetence and corruption,” he said. Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader also said the people all over Bangladesh are grappling with dengue fever amid the inaction of the Dhaka North and South City Corporations. “The dengue situation has now reached epidemic proportions due to all-pervasive corruption in the health sector. Dengue epidemic has broken all previous records this year,” Fakhrul said. He lamented that that deaths caused by dengue have long been becoming the main headlines in the media as an average of 20 people are dying every day. The total number of dengue deaths and cases this year reached 716 and 1, 45,335 respectively as of Saturday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the fatalitie and cases, 342 deaths and 71,976 cases were recorded in August alone. Fakhrul said the dengue has spread rapidly this year due to the government’s apathy and the use of low quality insecticides to kill Aedes mosquitoes. “We don't know how many patients are suffering from dengue fever…it’s easy to guess the actual number of patients…that would be several times higher (than the government’s statistics,” he observed. The BNP leader said the dengue started spreading in the country since 2000 while the disease turned deadly in 2018.”The children are now the worst affected. The queue of dead bodies is increasing. But the government is least bothered about it. There’s no initiative to contain the dengue outbreak. He also depicted the picture of corruption of ``thousands of crores'' in the name of dengue prevention by Dhaka North and South City Corporations. Fakhrul slammed the government for increasing the prices of medical equipment and treatment materials to prevent dengue. The BNP Secretary General urged their party leaders and workers to come forward to control the dengue situation and stand beside the affected people.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday (September 09, 2023) urged everyone to remain alert as the government is plotting to carry out violence and communal attacks to shift the blame onto opposition parties. "They (govt) are conspiring. It won’t work, no matter how much plot they hatch,” he told a rally at Nayapaltan after the party’s two mass processions. As part of that plot, the BNP leader said his ruling party counterpart Obaidul Quader talked about violence and communal attacks two days ago. “By making such attacks by Awami League, they (government) will try to put the blame on the opposition parties. That's why everyone should stay alert,” he warned. Read more: BNP, like-minded parties set to hold mass processions in Dhaka Saturday Fakhrul said the government has no strength to resist the people who took to the streets to ensure its fall. “We must take to the streets with more courage to defeat this demonic government,” he told the opposition leaders and workers. The BNP leader said people from all walks of life, including farmers, labourers and hardworking people, regardless of their party affiliation, have got united to unseat the Awami League government through a united movement. “You’re going through suffering in the rain. You have to endure more pains and suffering in the days to come to establish a people's government through a credible election under a truly neutral non-partisan government by defeating the current regime,” he said pointing at the opposition followers. Read more: Polls experts, politicians say political parties should resolve differences over next elections

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has gone to Singapore on Thursday (August 24, 2023) morning for medical treatment. Fakhrul, along with his wife Rahat Ara Begum and daughter Mirza Safaruh, left Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight around 8:30 am, his personal secretary M Yunus Ali told UNB. He said Fakhrul will receive treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for various health issues, including a blockage in the nerve in his neck. Besides, Yunus said the BNP leader’s wife has an appointment with a doctor at the National University Hospital. Read more: BNP is instigating militant groups ahead of national election: Quader He, however, could not say when the BNP secretary general would return to Dhaka. After being released from jail in 2015, Fakhrul went to Singapore for treatment, where the issue in his internal carotid artery was detected. Since then, he has gone to Singapore every year for follow-up treatment. Earlier this year, in February, the 76-year-old BNP secretary general went to Singapore for a medical checkup. Read more: BNP is main sponsor of militants in Bangladesh: Information Minister