BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
BNP denounces Abe's dastardly assassination
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has expressed deep shock over the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In a condolence message on Friday, he said, “The killing of the former prime minister of Japan is disgusting and cowardly.”
The BNP leader said the world community has got terrified and worried by this tragic incident.
“The people of Bangladesh and the BNP have also become shocked and disappointed by this heartbreaking incident,” he said.
Also read: Shinzo Abe was a true friend of Bangladesh: GM Quader
Stating that the international community has lost a world leader, the BNP leader said, “He (Abe) was a veteran, experienced, prudent politician and a good ruler.”
“The perpetrators of this inhuman bloody incident can never be allies of humanity,” he observed.
Describing the killers of Shinoza Abe as cowards, Fakhrul strongly condemn the heinous incident.
He prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul of Abe.
The BNP leader also expressed his sympathy to the bereaved people of Japan and the families of the victims and their loved ones.
Shinzo Abe, 67, died after being shot while giving a campaign speech in Japan on Friday.
Abe immediately collapsed and was seen bleeding before he was taken to hospital.
The attack on Abe and his subsequent death shocked the entire world.
Also read: Khaleda to celebrate Eid with sister, granddaughter
Bangladesh is observing state mourning today (July 9) showing deep respect to Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
AL can’t earn people’s trust even with 1000 Padma bridges: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said the Awami League government will not be able to earn the confidence of people even if it builds a thousand Padma bridges keeping 'democracy besieged.
"Hold a credible election to see how much confidence people have in you (govt). Ayub Khan also carried out development activities during the Pakistan period. There’s no point of constructing a thousand Padma bridges if there is no democracy and political emancipation of people and if they don't have voting and other rights,” he said.
Fakhrul came up with the remarks at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office reacting to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent comment that people are giving Awami league votes again and again as they have confidence in her government.
Read: BNP leaders, activists being obstructed from distributing flood relief: Tuku
He questioned how the government gained people’s confidence by rigging votes the night before the election day and by depriving people of their voting rights.
Reiterating their party’s stance on the next polls, the BNP leader said their party will participate in the election if it is held under a non-party neutral government.
"A neutral and non-partisan government is a must for a free and fair election in Bangladesh. Otherwise, even if you bring the election commissioners from heaven, you won’t have a credible election. “It’s impossible,” he observed.
Fakhrul who recovered from Covid infection recently came up with the outcome of their party’s standing committee meeting at the press conference.
He said their standing committee meeting feels that the government has completely failed to stand by the affected people in the flood-hit areas. “It could not reach adequate relief materials among people. There’s no visible activity by the government for rehabilitating flood victims.
The BNP leader said the meeting demanded the government immediately take steps for ensuring food, clothes, medical treatment and construction of houses for the affected people.
He said their standing committee members expressed serious resentment as the Planning Minister himself admitted that the 6th Population and Housing Census was not done properly across the country.
“It has never been possible to get the actual information through all kinds of surveys and studies during the tenure of the current government as data collection are done as per its instructions… as a result, international organisations can’t trust all the information and data of Bangladesh,” the BNP leader said.
About the sudden rise in load-shedding, Fakhrul said people across the country have been experiencing terrible power outages. “The frequent power cuts have proved that the government’s comments on cent percent electricity coverage are just rhetoric.
He said the government set up quick-rental power plants with the main goal to make their pockets heavier by indulging in corruption.
The BNP leader said the frequent power cuts are signs that Bangladesh is moving towards a fragile condition.
Read:BNP blames govt for fresh spike in Covid cases
Fakhrul said their meeting observed that the real foreign exchange reserves now stand at 34.02 billion as $7.5billion loans from the reserves were given to the influential persons close to the government high-ups in the name of the Export Development Fund (EDF).
They said these are forced loans given by the state-owned banks and the IMF has suggested not to including this amount of money in foreign exchange reserves.
The meeting also observed that the $7.5 billion are unlikely to return as foreign currency to the country's foreign exchange reserves.
The government is doing this terrible damage to the country by violating all the rules and regulations of the economy and the reserves only for the benefit of its own close and influential people.
He said the influential people did huge damage to the country's economy by siphoning off foreign currency abroad from the country in the name of EDF loans. “Economists fear that the far-reaching effects of such loans will bankrupt the social economy and the economy as a whole.”
The BNP leader said their meeting voiced deep concern over the EDF loans from the serves and decided to present a report with detailed information on the issue.
AL govt has become enemy of people: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the Awami League government has become the enemy of the people by resorting to repressive acts and unleashing misrule.
“Awami League has usurped power by snatching people’s basic rights systematically. A horrible situation has been created in the country due to its misrule and misdeeds, including enforced disappearance,” he said.
The BNP leader also said the current government has taken a stance against the country’s people in every aspect. “This regime has been identified as the enemy of the country’s people.”
Fakhrul was talking to reporters after visiting the house of BNP leader Chodhury Alam who was made disappeared on June 24, 2010, from the capital’s Farmgate area.
Also read: Khaleda to return home from hospital today
Fakhrul together with some BNP leaders went to Alam’s Khilgaon residence, marking the 12 anniversary of his enforced disappearance.
He talked to the family members and enquired about their condition.
Fakhrul said those who have been made disappeared have been deprived of their right to life while their family members have been left in the lurch.
He said families of the enforced disappearance victims are not getting the inheritance certificate and property ownership, and they cannot transact money kept in the bank accounts of their missing dear ones. “These families are in dire straits.”
“Chowdhury Alam has been missing for 12 years since the repressive force of the government picked him up. Despite frantic efforts, nether neither his family nor our party could trace him. This regime also couldn’t say anything about his whereabouts.” Fakhrul said.
Also read: Govt indulges in celebration keeping flood victims unfed, alleges Fakhrul
He said many such incidents have taken place since the Awami League government came to power.
The BNP leader said more than 600 BNP leaders and activists, including former MP Ilias Ali, have been subjected to enforced disappearance during the rule of the Awami League.
He said it is clearly mentioned in the United Nations Charter, that enforced disappearance is a crime against humanity. “But the fascist and autocratic regime has resorted to such incidents.”
He said many parents lost their children, while many wives lost their husbands over the last 15 years of Awami League’s misrule.
Fakhrul said people have been subjected to extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance and killing in custody only to suppress democratic movements, “It can’t happen in a civilised society.”
About the flood situation, Fakhrul who visited Sylhet on Thursday, said people are crying for help as the government is not standing beside them with adequate relief materials.
“I myself went to Sylhet yesterday (Thursday). If you don't see it with your own eyes, you can't have any idea about its severity,” he said.
Fakhrul alleged that the government has not taken any measures to alleviate the sufferings of the flood-hit people and to provide relief to them and to rehabilitate them."
He called upon the country’s people to get united to force the current government to quit and hand power to a non-party neutral administration.
CCC poll proves fair election not possible without neutral govt: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said the Election Commission’s (EC's) failure to take action against an errant ruling party MP in Cumilla city polls has proved that fair and acceptable national election is not possible without a non-party neutral government.
“You have seen what happened in the Cumilla city election. The Election Commissioner has failed to force an MP to leave the electoral areas in Cumilla ahead of the election. So, it has proved that no credible election is possible without a polls-time neutral government,” he said.
The BNP leader also said if the EC could take action against the ruling party MP for flouting its order to leave the election area, it would have sent out a message about how the future election will be held in Bangladesh.
“The Election Commission has manifested its helplessness through its inaction against the ruling party MP in Cumilla polls,” Fakhrul observed.
Also Read: Ring (stent) installed in Khaleda’s heart: Fakhrul
He came up with the comments while talking to reporters at a views-exchange meeting with the leaders and activists of Mohila Dal at district unit BNP’s meeting.
Earlier on June 8, the EC ordered local Awami League President AKM Bahauddin Bahar MP to leave electoral areas under Cumilla City Corporation for allegedly violating the electoral code of conduct ahead of the polls.
However, Bahar, a ruling party MP from Cumilla-6 seat, did not comply with the EC’s order. The elections to Cumilla City Corporation will be held on Wednesday using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Fakhrul questioned how the EC will conduct fair elections in the future when it has no capacity to force an MP to comply with its order.
“We’ve earlier said whoever comes to the Election Commission will not be able to do anything without a neutral government. It has now been proved that our observation is justified.”
Referring to the deadly fire in the container depot in Chattogram’s Sitakunda, the BNP leader asked the government to find out those responsible for the incident and take stern action against them.
He also slammed the ruling party leaders for their comments that BNP is doing politics with Khaleda Zia’s illness, and said Awami League leaders are used to making unguarded comments about their political opponents.
Replying to a question about whether Khaleda would join Padma Bridge opening programme responding to the government’s invitation, Fakhrul said there is no reason for the BNP chief to go there when she was threatened with being pushed into the river from the bridge.
He claimed that the initial feasibility study on the Padma Bridge started during Khaleda Zia's tenure in 2004-05 following discussions with Japan, the World Bank and the Asia Development Bank for the construction of the bridge.
Price Hike: BNP asks AL to learn from 1974 famine
Amid the soaring prices of food grains and the daily essentials, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir asked the ruling party to take a lesson from the famine in 1974 and take effective steps.
"I would like to warn Mr Obaidul Quader (AL General Secretary) that you do not learn from history. There’s the famine in 1974 when the prices of food grains went up,” he said.
Also read:BNP, Biplobi Workers Party agree to oust govt thru movement: Fakhrul
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said the prices of food grains are increasing now again and people are going through immense sufferings.
“At this time, you are not reading the writings on the walls and taking the necessary initiatives. There is now no point in saying all those contradictory things and making unguarded remarks," he said.
Fakhrul urged the government to return to the democratic system and create a democratic atmosphere to avoid possible public wrath. “Let the people speak up and exercise their rights. Otherwise, you’ll have to face its consequences. You are threatening us with terrible consequences, but you saw such consequences in the past.”
He also called upon the government to restore people’s rights, stop killings, forced disappearance, filing false cases and release Begum Khaleda Zia unconditionally.
“Otherwise you will never get relief… we know they (AL) will not pay heed to it, and that is why their fall is inevitable.”
Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) arranged the discussion programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 41st death anniversary of Ziaur Rahman and the 5th death anniversary of party founder Shafiul Alam Pradhan.
Fakhrul recalled that Awami League was there in power from 1972-1975 and that was the worst period in Bangladesh. “They never talked about their rule from 1972-75…hundreds of youth had to lose their lives at that time only for talking about democracy while there was widespread plundering and their failures led to a famine in 1974. They don’t talk about these things."
The BNP leader said In his book on Bangladesh’s 1974 famine, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen stated that there were sufficient food grains but the then government could not create the kind of administration and structure needed to manage the food grains and deliver those to people and save them from starvation and death. “The second reason was their greed as they indulged in corruption, plundering and black marketing even at that crisis period.”
“The same thing we’re seeing now. The minister himself is admitting that syndicates are raising the prices of essentials and food grains. Why are you there in the office when you can’t control the syndicates and take action against the corrupt persons?” he questioned.
Also read: BNP reaches consensus with Ganosanghati Andolan on 'simultaneous’ movement:Fakhrul
Fakhrul said the government is arresting the small wholesalers to stop hoarding of food and essential items, but the problem is not there.
“Newspapers have unveiled the real problems that the rice price is growing as the big corporate houses are buying a huge amount of rice. It’s never possible to do it without the government’s indulgence and help. That is why we have repeatedly said the prices of rice and commodities have gone up not only for the government’s maneuvering but also for its direct involvement (in the process),” he said.
Accusing the government of usurping power and hanging onto office by force, he said this regime will have to be ousted through united efforts.
He said their party has started a process of forging unity among the political parties to ensure the fall of the Awami League government.
Fakhrul said their party wants all the left and right-leaning political parties to get united to end the misrule of the current regime and restore democracy and people’s lost rights.
He also accused the current government of destroying the electoral system and politicising all the state institutions. "No election will be held under this regime. Awami League must step down handing over power to a neutral government."
Bangladesh on verge of collapse like Sri Lanka: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday that the economic situation in Bangladesh is bound to be like that of Sri Lanka as the current economy is collapsing.
The country’s per-capita foreign debt is already around $472 and inflation will rise so much that the economy will collapse, he said in Thakurgaon while exchanging views with journalists in a programme of providing financial assistance to those killed in election violence on January 5 in 2014.
Read: BNP’s caretaker government dream to go in vain: Hasan Mahmud
Fakhrul said Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi himself is a businessman. “He should have had a clear idea about the characteristics of Bangladeshi businesspeople. To trust traders means to create opportunities for them.”
“Amid rising commodity prices, we can clearly see these are being increased with the covert help of the government. their syndicates ,” said Fakhrul.
Two people were killed in the police firing in Thakurgaon in the one-party election held on January 5 in 2014, he said.
BNP won’t even join talks on polls until AL quits power: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said their party even will not join any talks on the next parliamentary polls until the Awami League government quits power.
“I think there’ll be no talks until the Awami League government resigns,” he told a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The BNP leader came up with the remarks as journalists drew his attention to a reported decision of the Awami League Central Working Committee to make all-out efforts to bring BNP to the next parliamentary election.
Also read:Fakhrul demands withdrawal of soybean oil price hike
Fakhrul renewed their party’s stance that BNP will not join the next polls under the current government.
“Our position on the next polls is clear. There’s no question of holding an election if the Awami League regime does not resign and power is handed over to a completely neutral government. We won’t go to the polls, if Sheikh Hasina remains in power,” he viewed.
Fakhrul said the government must meet two conditions to bring BNP to the next polls. "The first condition is that they (govt) must resign and then they must hand over power to a neutral non-partisan government.
He said a non-party neutral government will reconstitute the Election Commission for conducting the polls based on public opinions and thus a government and parliament will be formed representing the country's people.
Sought his comment on Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s comment that the opposition parties would be given a scope to hold meetings and rallies, Fakhrul said Awami League is a party of ‘frauds’.
"They (AL leaders) are used to say like that…but they’ll do whatever they need to do. This is the character of Awami League that they don’t keep their words. They have been deceiving people from the beginning since the country’s independence,” he said.
The BNP leader said the ruling party leaders talk about democracy like gentlemen, but they do not allow even to hold a milad and doa mahfil and Eid reunion let alone a meeting and a rally. “They attack an Eid reunion and A milad mahfil. What can you expect from them? “
It’s an attack on BNP
He strongly condemned and protested the attack on the house of party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain in Daudkandi on Saturday, and said the government has started resorting to terrorism again to hang onto power.
Fakhrul said their standing committee’s senior member Khandaker Mosharraf went to his residence in Daukandi on Saturday to exchange Eid greetings with the local leaders and workers.
As he came out of his residence to join an invitation at Titas, the BNP leader alleged that Awami League ‘cadres’ attacked the house and Mosharraf’s companions with sticks, brickbats and batons.
“We think it’s a physical attack on Dr Mosharraf. The attack was so intense that the party workers took Mosharraf to the house and closed the gate. Even then, the Awami cadres hurled brick chips and stones like rain towards the house”, Fakhrul said.
Also read:Raise your voice to restore lost rights: Fakhrul to workers
Later, he said police brought the situation under control and helped Mosharraf to come out of his house.
“He (Mosharraf) is the senior leader of our standing committee. We consider the attack on him as an attack on the standing committee as well as on our party. We can't take it lightly. This attack has proved that there is no change in their character. Rather, they have resorted to extreme terrorism with fresh vigour to eliminate and suppress BNP and the opposition,” the BNP leader observed.
He demanded the government arrest those involved in the attack on Moshharf’s house and bring them to justice.
Fakhrul also slammed the government for hiking the price of soybean oil further for what he said protecting the interests of corrupt ruling party business syndicates.
Unilateral announcement of SCBA results a “terrible injustice’: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday described the ‘unilateral’ announcement of the disputed results of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election by the pro-Awami League lawyers as a "terrible injustice".
“The cadres of Awami League who usurped power broke the locked house at night in a terrorist manner and announced the results (of SCBA),” he said.
Speaking at an Iftar party, he urged the lawyers to register a strong protest against the incident.
Read: BNP conspiring to assassinate Hasina: Quader
“Lawyers should have raised their voices as such a terrible injustice cannot be tolerated. Lawyers also should have gone to the chief justice and mobilised all lawyers across Bangladesh to protest against the incident. But it is very unfortunate that when fascism behaves in this way, it suppresses all protests,” Fakhrul bemoaned.
BNP arranged the Iftar party in honour of professionals at Dhaka Ladies Club in the city’s Eskaton.
Earlier on Wednesday night, the election of the Supreme Court Bar Association, that took place over a month ago, was announced after scuffles and chaos broke between ruling Awami League-backed lawyers and pro-BNP lawyers over the recounting of votes cast for the post of secretary, where the candidate from pro-BNP panel was leading.
Fakhrul slammed the government for seeking India’s help to withdraw the US sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and said it is shameful for the country.
“The foreign minister is openly seeking India’s help to have the sanctions on RAB lifted, but they didn’t talk (to India) they needed to speak on the Rohingya issue,” he observed.
Read: Case filed against 2 for derogatory FB posts on mayor Taposh
Referring to the recent clashes between Dhaka College students and traders in the New Market area that killed two people, Fakhrul said it was proved that Chhatra League was involved, but police filed cases against BNP leaders and activists.
The BNP leader called upon the professionals to get united to oust the current regime and ensure the next election is held under a non-party neutral government.
“The government has established a one-party system of government in a brutal manner. A pro-people government must be established removing the monstrous one,” he said.
BNP won’t join any polls under AL govt: Fakhrul
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday reaffirmed that their party will not join any election, be it parliamentary or local government ones, under the current government.
"Our position on the election is clear. We are not going to participate in any polls-- whether it is a local government or parliamentary election--under the current government," he said.
Also read: Extortion goes unabated in all markets with govt backing: BNP
A day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the elections to Cumilla City Corporation, Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to journalists at his local residence in Kalibari area.
Replying to a question, Fakhrul said the country’s people will determine how the next election will be held and how the country will run. “But we’ve long been saying we won’t take part in any election under the partisan government.”
He said the Awami League has now established a one-person’s rule along with the one-party rule. “They (govt) are now internationally recognised as an autocratic regime while newspapers and different countries are branding Awami League as an authoritarian party.”
Also read: AL’s character to blame BNP for its own misdeeds: Mirza Fakhrul
The BNP leader alleged that the Awami League government has become completely dependent on the bureaucrats and the law enforcement agencies as it has become isolated from the country's people. “So, it seems ridiculous to people when the Awami League talks about democracy.”
Referring to the detention of a mother and her son in the capital’s Kalabagan area for raising voice to protect Tetultala playground, Fakhrul said, “This incident has exposed how authoritarian the government is and how human rights are being violated now in the country.”
He alleged that the government has no control over the state institution and law enforcement agencies. “People’s rights are being snatched at the behest of the government as there is no rule of law.”
Opposition being deprived of justice: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the opposition political leaders and activists are not getting justice due to what he said the politicisation of the judiciary.
“Judiciary is the place of people’s hopes and aspirations to get relief from oppression by the state. Unfortunately, they (govt) have created such a situation by politicising and controlling the judiciary that the judgements, especially in the cases of political leaders and activists, are being delivered against people and democracy,” he said.
Also read:US report exposes AL govt’s misdeeds, deadly misrule: BNP
Fakhrul made the allegation at an iftar party arranged by Dhaka South City Unit of BNP at Mahanagar Natya Mancha in the capital.
Referring to a recent order of the Supreme Court, he said though Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, has never been involved in politics, the apex court cleared the way for the trial court to resume proceedings of a ‘false’ corruption case against her.
"We think it's not legal. We also think the judiciary is being controlled… then opposition leader and activists are now not getting justice,” the BNP leader observed.
Earlier on Wednesday last, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld a High Court verdict that cleared the way for the continuation of the trial proceedings of a corruption case filed against Dr Zubaida.
Fakhrul alleged that the Awami League government wants to establish an one-party system of governance in the country under cover of democracy in a planned way.
"That is why they have destroyed all the independent institutions one by one. The judiciary is the place where they put their hands first,” he said.
The BNP leader said an undemocratic situation has been prevailing all over the county as an ‘illegitimate’ and ‘usurper’ government has been using the state machinery to destroy democracy and all the institutions.
Also read: BNP urges ACC to probe ruling party’s alleged corruption
He said their party chairperson Khaleda was jailed three years back in completely false cases only because of the government’s political vengeance. “Our 35 lakh leaders and activists have been facing false cases while over 600 others have been made disappeared and over a thousand others have been killed.”
Fakhrul said there is no alternative to waging a united movement against the current 'fascist' regime to get rid of the current situation of the country.
Some family members of BNP leaders who have been subjected to enforced disappearance also spoke at the programme.