BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday regretted that the civil society members keep mum when their party men are killed and tortured on the streets as they do not consider the opposition leaders and activists as human beings. “I would like to say one thing with sorrow that we are being subjected to huge injustice and repression and our 17 people lost their lives in police firing on the streets for democracy. But those of our people talk nicely about democracy, good society, development and middle-income country, they don’t consider our leaders and activists as human beings,” he said. Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader alleged that police also pick up opposition leaders and activists without any warrant and show them arrested in different cases relating to sabotage and explosion as there is no rule of law in the country. Besides, he said police file a case against 100 known BNP leaders and activists and over 1,000 others unidentified ones after any incident. Fakhrul said their party’s around 35 lakh people are facing ‘false’ cases. "Can it be imagined? Can 35 lakh leaders and activists of a democratic party be implicated in 35 lakh cases in any civilised democratic country? Can it be called a democratic state? Our only offence is that we’re working for restoring people’s rights. Only the sufferers know how much ordeal they’re going through?” Also read: AL destroys electoral system by “so-called” SCBA polls, says BNP demanding fresh vote He said the civil society members remain silent about such repression as they think the victims belong to BNP and they are not human beings and citizens of the country. Zia Parishad, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the discussion programme at a city hotel. Fakhrul said Bangladesh has been going through the toughest time of its 52 years’ history as the Awami League usurped power deceiving the country’s people. “They’re deceiving people so much in every case, everywhere that can never be imagined. He said the government’s biggest offence is that it has destroyed all the state institutions. Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s comment on identifying those who are putting the state institutions into question, Fakhrul said, “Who will the people identify first? People have already identified that they (AL) are continuously not only making the institutions questionable but also destroying those. There is no institution, including parliament, that Awami League has not destroyed.” He said the government has created such a situation in the country that BNP leaders and activists cannot stay in their houses for months after months to avoid getting arrested.” He said their party has long been on a movement for the restoration of the caretaker government and sacrificing their lives for ensuring a credible election. “Caretaker government is not our concept as together with Jatiya Party and Jamaat came up with the concept” He said democracy was destroyed repeatedly by Awami League while it has been restored by Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia. “This is the fact and there is no scope to deny it.”  

Accusing the government of resorting to repressive acts to subdue opposition ahead of the next national election, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today (September 10, 2022) warned that it will not help Awami League this time to “cling to power”. Speaking at a discussion, he also questioned the justification of the government’s plan to build a flyover in the haor area. “Several thousands of people have been injured and shot. They’re also filing cases (against BNP leaders and activists) in the same old style. But you won’t be able to stay in power this time by doing these things,” the BNP leader said. He said the ruling party will no longer be able to fool the country’s people who are now putting up strong resistance against the government. “The people of Bangladesh always established their rights and justified demands through struggles. That struggle has begun again and we believe they’ll achieve victory this time,” Fakhrul said. Read: EC out to arrange stage-managed election: GM Quader Eti Prokashon arranged the programme on the occasion of unveiling the book titled “Politics: East Pakistan and Bangladesh” at the Jatiya Press Club. Fakhrul said Awami League is solely responsible for the current crisis in Bangladesh as it has destroyed democracy and the economy in the country. “They (AL) have established a reign of plundering by ruining the economy and turning Bangladesh into a failed state. There’s no justice while the law enforcers have become a partisan force. It’s unimaginable that people are shot without any justification in a country that claims to be a democracy,” the BNP leader said. About Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent India tour, Fakhrul said she went to the neighbouring country with “only the hope to take measures to retain power”. “She brought nothing (from India). We can’t see anything except talking about 153 cusecs of water. A Bangladeshi boy was shot dead along the border the day those MoUs were signed. It happens often. But it (border killing) has not stopped till now,” the BNP leader said. Read: Dipu Moni for participation of all parties in elections He said their party wants India to have good relations with Bangladesh. “India is a friendly country to us. We are grateful for their support during our Liberation War.” Fakhrul said they saw a picture of Sheikh Hasina dancing at Jaipur airport in India during her recent four-day tour. “The people of this country will never accept that you’re dancing at a time when the country is facing a dire economic situation.” Referring to media reports, he said the government has allocated Tk 6,500 crore to build a flyover in the haor area. “We’ll see that it (allocation) will reach Tk 26,000 crore. But nothing has been mentioned about its requirements and how many vehicles may use it." The BNP leader alleged that the government has been moving away from the main problems of the country by taking mega projects and unnecessary projects. He said, around 42% of people still live below the poverty line and cannot afford two meals a day while most do not get proper health care in the country. “Youth are not getting jobs after passing BA and MA. They are being forced to ride-share motorbikes and pull rickshaws. But you (govt) are saying that Bangladesh has become a role model for development. This is deception with people.”

BNP on Tuesday alleged that its ‘innocent’ leaders and activists have been convicted in “false and politically motivated” old cases as part of the government’s new master plan for hanging onto power by holding the next general election without voters.  “The government has started implementing another new master plan centring on the upcoming election. Lakhs of political cases were filed against our leaders and activists earlier to harass them, and now gradual conviction has started in those cases,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. READ: Covid restrictions maybe to stop BNP rallies: Rizvi Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he said 10 BNP leaders and activists were sentenced to five years' imprisonment in a ‘fictitious’ case filed with Bhasantek Police Station under the Explosive Substances Act. “No such incident has taken place for which they have been charged with and convicted subsequently. All these acts have started at the behest of Sheikh Hasina,” the BNP leader observed. He also said had the court not been in the ‘grip’ of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, then everyone would have been acquitted in the ‘false’ case. “BNP leaders and activists are being convicted one after another (as per govt master plan) for staying in power illegally and holding the next election without voters.” Rizvi said the Nazi face of the state has been exposed through the conviction of ‘innocent’ BNP leaders and activists by implicating them in ‘false’ cases. “This conviction is one of the examples of the inhumane acts the government will resort to until the national election is over.” He alleged that police filed ‘false' and 'fabricated' cases against BNP leaders and activists to suppress them and foil their movement. Since the misdeeds of the government have been gradually exposed in the country and abroad, the BNP leader said their party leaders and activists are being convicted to mislead people and divert their attention to a different direction. He urged the government to shun the ‘foul’ play of eliminating the opposition and annihilating democracy. READ: 300 injured in ‘police attack’ on BNP’s Habiganj rally: Rizvi Rizvi said police on Monday night arrested Narayanganj district unit BNP acting convener Monirul Islam Robi as per the government move to thwart BNP’s ongoing movement. He demanded the government immediately release Robi and withdraw the false cases against their party leaders and activists.

Claiming that police obstructed BNP’s procession and arrested their activists and leaders, party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the government cannot stop people from demanding Khaleda Zia’s release through its repressive acts.