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.

Claiming that the ruling Awami League was clean bowled by their movement's 'googly', BNP Secretry General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday noted "much progress" towards the party's aim of achieving victory on the streets. “There is another spin (in cricket) called googly by which the batsman is bowled out with the stumps or the middle stump uprooted before he understands anything. Awami League was completely bowled out by BNP’s googly on (July) 28th and 29th,” Fakhrul said while speaking at a protest rally at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan. The BNP leader also claimed that braving rain and scorching heat, nearly five million (50 lakh) people attended their party’s grand rally at Nayapaltan on July 28, coming to the capital from all over the country, from 'Teknaf to Tetulia'. Also read: Dhaka North AL unit presses ahead with indefinite protest rally “People thronging that rally gave a message to Hasina to step down immediately,” the BNP leader observed. He said they had given a simple programme of sit-ins at the entry points of the capital instead of hartal or blockade the next day (July 29), but hundreds of law enforcers equipped with arms and armoured vehicles, together with the ruling party ‘goons’. took positions at the entry points of Dhaka getting paranoid about their programme: “They opened fire on innocent and unarmed people and utterly repressed them.” He said the worst thing was that the police beat BNP senior leaders Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Amanullah Aman by throwing them on the streets. “Later, they prepared the script and made stories and videos. Such a blackmailer the regime is!” The BNP leader said those who do not share connections with the people resort to such blackmail and contrived stories. “People didn't accept their stories. Have those stories belittled our leaders Gayeshwar Babu and Amanullah Aman? You, who created such dirty dramas, have been disgraced.” Also read: Attacks on sit-ins: BNP’s protest rally begins at Suhrawardy Udyan Reiterating their party’s demand for holding the next election under a non-partisan government, Fakhrul said they do not want any election under Sheikh Hasina and her government: “We want elections under a caretaker government. If our demand is not accepted in a straight way, then it will be settled on the streets. We’ve come a long way and our victory is certain." The BNP leader said the AL government will no longer be able to cling to power as it has lost the ground beneath its feet. “This regime is now so scared that they have arrested 1200/1300 people from a programme and prosecuted and injured them," he said. He said they will soon announce the next course of action for their one-point movement after discussions with other opposition parties. Fakhrul demanded the release of the recently arrested BNP leaders and activists and the withdrawal of the ‘false’ cases filed against them. Stating that the government has lost support both at home and abroad, he said Awami League usurped power twice by circumventing fair and credible elections, thus deceiving the country's people. Also read: Opposition movement is welcome, but won't tolerate arson violence: PM Hasina Fakhrul ridiculed the visit of a foreign election monitoring delegation with no known track record in the field and comprising some members from the US, China, Japan, and Ireland. Referring to them, the BNP leader said the government hired a few people from abroad. “One of them came from the US. He went to the Election Commission and told the media that the caretaker government system would not work here. Wah! Who are you brother? No one knows him," Fakhrul chided. He said the government just hired an American citizen to make such a remark. “They (govt) did it before the last election…this is a bluff to fool people. The government has become so weak that it brought such nameless people to say that elections will be held under them, not under caretaker.'' Fakhrul said the country’s people have taken a decision that no election will be held under Sheik Hasina and her government. He said for the first time in Bangladesh's history, both the leftist and right-wing parties have united to reject elections under the current regime. The BNP leader said the government must quit and dissolve parliament to pave the way for holding the next polls under a non-party neutral administration. Also read: US visa policy should be effective on BNP, Quader says BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said the current government has outdone all previous repressive regimes, including that of Ayub Khan in the Pakistan era, in terms of repressing and suppressing people. He said the government has now started arresting BNP leaders and workers wholesale to foil their movement. But he warned it would be of no use:“You won't be able to resist this movement, no matter how many leaders and activists you arrest. We’re not afraid of getting arrested. BNP is not a party of cowards. Our leaders and activists are being arrested when they go to the market and even when they go to pray in the mosques. The movement will continue, no matter how much you torture us. The people have taken an oath that no one will return home until the fall of this government.” Another BNP standing committee member, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, said their sit-in programme at different key points of the capital on Saturday was completely peaceful. “But astonishingly the police and the ruling party cadres attacked our leaders and activists by violating the people’s constitutional rights…they beat one of our standing committee members like a snake,” he said, referring to the police treatment of Gayeshwar Chandra Roy. As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally at the historic venue to protest the “oppression” on the party leaders and workers during their Saturday’s sit-in programme at different entrances of the capital. Hundreds of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies from different city areas participated in the rally amid the presence of a huge number of law enforcers all around the venue. In the wake of attacks on the party’s sit-in on Saturday, Mirza Fakhrul announced the countrywide protest rallies. BNP’s all district and city units also organised a similar programme. BNP’s sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka on Saturday was marred by clashes and violence, leaving an unspecified number of people injured.  

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that the government has been working against independence and it should not be allowed to come to power again in any way. “ It’s a matter of regret and shame  that Awami League has taken a stance against independence now. During the Liberation War our aim and expectation was to establish a democratic society, multi-party state system which Awami League has destroyed  and  returning  to one-party rule as following  their previous technique,” he said. Now their stance is against independence, against democracy and against the people of the country, said Fakhrul at a programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Thursday. Bhashani Onusari Parishad organized the event marking former minister Sunil Kumer Gupto’s 15 the death anniversary. Fakhrul  came up with the remarks a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that  arson terrorist BNP-Jamaat alliance, the killers, the anti-liberation forces and war criminals must not come to power again in this land (Bangladesh),” she said. The prime minister said this on Tuesday while speaking at a civic reception accorded to her at Ritz Carlton hotel in Washington. The BNP leader also criticized the government  for its stance not to repeal the Digital Security Act.” When all are demanding cancellation of the law you are boasting that it would not be cancelled.” “ Why it should not be cancelled? You are using this(Digital Security Act) as an weapon which you don’t want to lose,” he added. “But you should not forget that the people of the country achieved independence though the Liberation War in 1971, they ousted the autocratic government through mass upsurge  in 1990. Now the people of the country have started a movement and democracy will win through this movement,” said Fakhrul. Read more: Arson terrorists, killers must not grab power again: PM Hasina He said that they country will have no existence if the anti-liberation, anti-democracy force comes to power again. “ For this reason we have started a simultaneous movement with all the political parties who love the country. We have created hope among people across the country. With this hope, we’ll have to free the country, protect independence and restore people’s rights ,” he added. Covenor of Bhashani Onusari Parishad Sheikh Rafiqul Islam chaired the event. Though the event was supposed to be held at the Jatiya Press Club later club authorities cancelled the permission. Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) President Mostafa Jamal Haidar, Gono Forum General Secretary Subrata Chowdhury, BNP Chairperson’s Advisor Council Member Bijon Kanti Sarkar, among others, spoke at the event.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the members of the law enforcement agencies have been carrying out 'one murder after another due to pampering by the government'.  “A simple woman who was working and raising her son in Naogaon was picked up and brutally tortured and killed (by RAB). Now they are denying it,” he said. Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP leader also said the law enforcers are indulging in extrajudicial killings by obeying the illegal orders of the current regime which is not elected by the people. “Even after the US sanctions on RAB, the government did not take any action against the officials (of RAB). So, they’re pampered to carry out such murder one after another,” Fakhrul observed. He also alleged that the incumbent ‘usurper’  Awami League government has been suppressing the country’s people by resorting to various forms of repression, killing and enforced disappearance for over a decade to materialise its dream of establishing 'one-party Baksal rule'. Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal organised the iftar party at the Ladies Club in the city’s Eskaton Area. Sultana Jasmine, a union-level land employee in Naogaon, died in RAB custody on March 24. RAB claimed that Sultana Jesmin was picked up for interrogation on charges of fraudulence, but she fell ill and died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Fakhrul said their party’s 17 leaders and activists sacrificed their lives on the streets during their current movement for the restoration of democracy, people’s voting and all other democratic rights that have been lost. Besides, he said 35 lakh people associated with BNP have been implicated in ‘false’ cases while around 600 people were made to disappear and several thousand others were killed by the current government. “This’s a monstrous regime and we must remove it immediately,” Fakhrul said. The BNP leader said the country’s people and the political parties are now united to oust the Awami League government through a strong simultaneous movement. Read more: US sanctions on RAB made BNP fearless in anti-government protests: Fakhrul “We believe that through a united movement of the people, this monstrous fascist government will be removed and a government of the people will be established in the country,” he said. BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, vice chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Barkatullah Bulu, Ahmed Azam Khan, AZM Zahid Hossain, chairperson’s adviser Abdus Salam and Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna, among others, joined the programme.

As part of the party’s decision to continue its movement, BNP on Friday announced fresh programmes, including sit-in and mass campaign, from the metropolitan city to union levels to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government. The programme is also meant for registering the party’s protest against the rise in the prices of power, gas and essential items and the Awami League government’s all-pervasive corruption. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at an iftar party at the Ladies Club in the city. As part of the programme, the party will stage a sit-in from 2pm to 4pm on April 1 in all metropolitan cities and districts towns. Also Read: Fakhrul has no say in BNP’s internal politics: Quader Besides, a similar programme will be observed from 3pm to 5pm on April 8 at all thanas in metropolitan cities and at all upazilas in the districts.  

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has no freedom of expression in his party’s internal politics as the party is run on the prescription of a convicted fugitive. “We understand the pain of Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir. In fact, Mirza Fakhrul has no freedom of expression in the internal politics of BNP. Fakhrul Saheb is forced to accept the decision, which is descended from far London, staying mum,” the AL leader said in a statement. Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, alleged that the committees are formed and dissolved, expulsion and reward are fixed, and business centering committees and nomination is done, in undemocratic ways going against the charter. Also Read: No scope for reinstating caretaker government in the country: Quader to US Ambassador Haas Protesting Fakhrul’s recent remarks regarding the people’s freedom of speech and freedom of expression, he said Fakhrul has captured the people’s freedom of speech and his freedom of expression in his party’s internal politics in a single frame. “So, Mirza Fakhrul is indulging in a grudge against the government like a parrot,” said the AL general secretary. He said Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina has been running the government, keeping public aspirations and expectations in mind in a bid to ensure the welfare of the people. Also Read: US HR report depicts Bangladesh’s terrible situation: Fakhrul All the endeavors of the government are being conducted, not to keep the people silent rather to fulfill the public aspirations and expectation, he said, criticizing the BNP’s past regime for its misrules. Also Read: BNP won't go to election under AL, Fakhrul reiterates “We are united under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina to establish a developed-prosperous, human-welfare and smart Bangladesh for the next generation. Victory will be ours, Inshallah,” said Obaidul Quader.    

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said they will become victorious soon together with people in their ongoing anti-government movement for the restoration of people’s voting and other rights.  “We’ve initiated the movement not to come to power as our goal is to turn Bangladesh into a truly modern welfare state so that people can get back their all rights. We also launched the movement to ensure justice, equality, and remove equality,” he said. Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said they made good progress in their current movement. “The language we see in the eyes of ordinary people and their strong desire and determination give us inspiration and courage to move forward every day. I believe very soon we will win this struggle with the people of Bangladesh." Also Read: AL destroys electoral system by “so-called” SCBA polls, says BNP demanding fresh vote 'Arpan Bangladesh', a voluntary organisation, arranged programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in memory of the opposition leaders and activists who were killed recently in the ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy and demanding the unconditional release of the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The voluntary organisation also provided the family members of slain opposition leaders and activists with gifts ahead of Ramadan. Fakhrul said he joins the progarmmes for the family members of the victims of enforced disappearance and killing with a very heavy heart. “I have been attending such events for the last 15 years. “When I come to such programmes I feel sad and they (victims' families) also feel the same. But so far we have not been able to do much for them.” Pointing at the victims’ family members, he said, “You have lost husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. The history of human civilization says that such supreme sacrifice will never go in vain. Their blood and the tears of their mothers can never go in vain.” Also Read: BNP delegation attends dinner hosted by Indian envoy Fakhrul said they liberated the country by waging a war against the Pakistani occupation forces as they snatched the rights of people, destroyed democracy, and denied handing over power to an elected government. “We also fought to get a democratic Bangladesh. “We won that battle. Unfortunately, we are again fighting and giving our lives to get that democracy back.” He said freedom fighters never imagined a Bangladesh where there is no human dignity, security of life, freedom of expression, voting rights, and justice. Fakhrul said the lawyers who were subjected to attacks went to the Chief Justice on Thursday seeking his initiative to resolve the problem that emerged over the Supreme Court Bar Association. "He (Chief Justices) told them he would do if he has any option to do anything. Then, where will we go, to whom will we go, and where will the people of the country go?    

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday warned that Bangladesh may turn into a tightly “regimented authoritarian” state like North Korea if their 10-point movement fails. Speaking at a discussion, he also alleged that the Awami League government is completely destroying the main pillars of the state by introducing its own rules, regulations, and constitution. “We’ve to make a decision whether we want to see the existence of Bangladesh and the restoration of democracy here. Otherwise, it’ll become a completely regimented authoritarian country like North Korea,” the BNP leader said. He said the ongoing 10-point movement is only not an agitation of the BNP or any alliance. "This movement is a struggle for the survival of all 18 crore people of the country. So, let’s take to the streets to make it a success" Fakhrul said their party’s 17 leaders and activists have already lost their lives in the movement that began on August 22 last year. “Let's involve more people with our movement to establish a government and parliament of people through a credible election under a caretaker government and a neutral election commission by ousting the current regime,” he said urging the political parties. The 12-party alliance arranged the discussion titled “The Importance and Necessity of the 27-Point Proposal in Building Future Bangladesh” at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU). Fakhrul alleged that a serious scandalous incident took place over the annual elections of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the government broke the election system of the apex court lawyers’ body. “The lawyers of the apex court of the country are called officers of the court. Holding the annual election of those who work in that court or cooperate in the judicial system is a tradition and everyone respect it.  But what happened yesterday (Wednesday) in that election is a most stigmatised and disgraceful incident for the nation and the judicial system of the country,” he observed. He also said the untoward incident over the SCBA election has exposed there is no democracy and the rule of law in Bangladesh. “I also doubt whether there is any government in the country.” The BNP leader said the SCBA polls had long been held in a fair and cordial atmosphere conducted by the lawyers. "But they (AL) broke this system yesterday (Wednesday). They also broke the election system of the Jatiya Press Club. It means that the Awami League whose only goal now is to completely break the main pillars of the state…they have already broken it. They have introduced their own rules, regulations, constitution.” Fakhrul slammed the government for its plan to reduce the width of the Jamuna River to 6.5 kilometres from 15 kilometres. “The Jamuna River has been flowing for thousands of years in our country. Rivers cause problems like floods and inundation…But how will you justify the idea of narrowing this river and a Tk12,000 crore project in this regard?” he said.  The BNP leader alleged that the government is taking such a project as it has become completely shameless. Fakhrul bemoaned that some intellectuals and professionals speak in support of the current governing system of Awami League and its president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “They extremely indulge in flattery. I feel bad thinking about for what type of country we had fought (in 1971). Now we scream that we did not want such a country.” Read more: AL 'helping big power' make Bangladesh a subservient country: BNP He said the freedom fighters liberated the country with an aim to establish democracy, ensure freedom of expression, equality, people’s dignity and their right to vote and the rule of law. The BNP leader also said people are going through a very tough time due to the unusual hikes in all the essential commodities.   He said there are two things--terrorism and theft—in Awami League’s body chemistry.  “They want to do everything by force and indulge in theft in every case.” Fakhrul alleged that Information Minister Hasan Mahmud like Goebbels said BNP is trying to destroy stability and it is preparing for arson violence. “It’s you (AL) who have introduced arson violence in the country…It was you who brought the provisions of the caretaker government by enforcing hartals for 173 days along with the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jatiya Party.” He recalled that the Awami League killed 11 people by setting a bus on fire with gunpowder in the capital during their hartal demanding the introduction of the caretaker government system. “People were beaten to death with oars and logs. They (AL) now say it (caretaker system) is not there in any civilised country.” The BNP leader said a caretaker government system is necessary for Bangladesh as those who are now in power are not civilized. They have destroyed the electoral system." Read more: ‘BNP will swallow the entire country if it returns to power’

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday accused the Awami League of rigging votes in Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections and branded the ruling party as a 'pathological thief'. He said, “Their (AL’s) only aim is to indulge in theft. We usually call them vote thieves. They rig votes in the national elections and even in Union Parishad polls. “Now they rigged votes in the Supreme Court and Dhaka Bars. In fact, they are pathological thieves,” he said. Speaking at a discussion programme, the BNP leader also said Awami League does nothing, but steal.  “They make their living by stealing and it is their profession and addiction…They also depleted the country’s resources through theft.” He also alleged that the ruling party destroyed the country's power sector by indulging in widespread stealing. Regarding the SCBA polls, Fakhrul said there was a ruckus in the Supreme Court after false and stamped ballot papers were found there on Tuesday night, the night before the election.  “They (pro-AL lawyers) assaulted our seven-time elected Supreme Court Bar Secretary (Mahbubuddin Khokon) and wounded him. “ He also said a case was filed against 1,000 pro-BNP lawyers, including Khokon, over the incident. “What country do we live in now? Where have we brought this country to?  Awami League has to answer the people for this. They have taken this country to extreme destruction.  They have destroyed all our culture, traditions and democratic values.  They have destroyed all our democratic institutions…” the BNP leader bemoaned. The two-day voting in SCBA elections started around 10 am on Wednesday, but it was suspended immediately when some pro-BNP lawyers staged demonstrations demanding the formation of an election conducting committee led by a neutral person. Read more: AL, not BNP, mastermind of ‘arson terrorism’: Fakhrul The discussion programme was arranged at the Jatiya Press Club marking the launching of the book titled “Amar Rajnitir Rojnamcha” written by BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. Fakhrul said Awami League does not believe in justice, fairness and democracy. “That is why they established a one-party Baksal rule in 1975 by destroying democracy and shutting down all newspapers and dissenting opinions. He feared that there is no guarantee that Khandaker Mosharraf’s book, Amar Rajnitir Rojnamcha, would not be banned by the current Awami League regime. The BNP leader said various media outlets, including Bangladesh Times, Bichitra, Channel1, Islamic TV and Diganta TV were shut down during the rules of Awami League. “But this party again claims they have given democracy an institutional shape.” He said the country’s people have now turned their backs on the present government as they are now unable to buy rice, lentils, salt, eggs and other daily essentials due to unusual hikes in their prices.  Fakhrul also said 42 percent of people in Bangladesh are now living below the poverty line while 80 percent of people cannot eat protein like beef, chicken, mutton and fish.  “But in that country, they have frequently increased the prices of electricity and gas.” He said that the government is now going to take advance income tax as the coffers have got exhausted. “They (AL leaders) are stealing from the banks and the reserves…the people of the country have woken up to defeat this regime through a movement.” Musharraf said he wrote the book to share his long experiences, thoughts and actions as a university teacher and a politician. "Politicians of our country can hardly manage time to write books as they remain so busy with politics…I got some time while in jail and used it for writing the book. I did it (wrote the book) for the present and future generations. I strongly believe it’ll be useful to them.”

Reacting to Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir calling the Ahmadiyya community’s recent religious event in Panchagarh “controversial”, a spokesperson of the community said it “goes against their constitutional right”. “The government gave permission to hold this controversial event,” Fakhrul said in a press conference on March 13, video of which has generated reaction among netizens on social media. Speaking on the issue, Ahmad Tabsir Chowdhury, a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community, said, “First, Mirza  Fakhrul puts the blame squarely on the government, saying the attack on our religious event was staged by the government to divert public attention, and now he finds it convenient to call our congregation ‘controversial’.” Also Read: Fakhrul says govt allowed the Ahmadiyya religious event, calls it ‘controversial’ Referring to their constitutional right, Ahmad said, “Our religious gathering was set to be held within our premises. We have a right to hold such peaceful events.” Ahmad questioned: “How can he disregard our rights by calling our congregation ‘controversial’? We didn’t seek permission from the government to hold our event in a busy commercial area like Paltan in Dhaka. Rather, we planned to hold it inside our premises, it was on our property.” “When such irresponsible remarks come directly from a major political leader like Fakhrul, we are gravely disheartened,” the Ahmadiyya community spokesperson said. He further requested all political parties to at least maintain a modicum of decency while making comments on issues involving any minority community. Also Read: Govt orchestrated attacks on Ahmadiyya only to gain political mileage: Fakhrul Fakhrul’s remark came at a time when Basherkella – a pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Twitter account – condemned police action to stop the violence over the Ahmadiyya religious event and called for “boycotting” the community. The Ahmadiyya community has called it a “hate campaign” against them. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum issued a statement on March 5, asking the government to officially declare the Ahmadiyya community “non-Muslim”.