Fakhrul
Fakhrul suspects influential AL leaders behind Bangabazar Market fire
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday voiced suspicion that influential ruling party leaders might have carried out the fire incident at Bangabazar market to grab the land.
"Some very influential people of the ruling Awami League have long been trying to occupy Bangabazar market. If a real impartial investigation is conducted, then there is a possibility to find out that this incident was completely carried out by the Awami League,” he said.
Speaking at a press briefing after a meeting with the 12-party liaison committee at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul said their party wants a neutral probe into the incident to unveil the truth.
Justifying his remark involving the ruling party leaders with the market fire, Fakhrul said the government has started talking about constructing multi-storied buildings at Bangabazar just a day after the incident.
A massive fire broke out at the Bangabazar Shopping Complex in Dhaka on Tuesday morning and it spread to some other nearby markets, burning several thousand shops, mainly readymade garment and footwear stores, to ashes.
On Thursday, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said investigations were being carried out to unearth whether the BNP was involved in the devastating fire incident at Bangabazar or not.
He also alleged that BNP was trying to politicise the fire incident instead of standing by the fire-affected people.
Polls without BNP’s participation won’t have legitimacy
Fakhrul alleged that the government has been planning to retain power through a stage-managed election as it did earlier in 2014 and 2018.
“We think that the government wants to hold a unilateral election as before. That is why they have rejected the UN’s proposal (for cooperation in the next national election),” he said.
Earlier on Monday Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh is mature enough and there is no need to take help from the United Nations in the national parliamentary election of Bangladesh.
Fakhrul said if the BNP and its alliance partners do not participate in the election under the Awami League government, then there will be no legitimacy of the polls “This is the reality. That's why the Chief Election Commissioner said yesterday (Thursday) that if the major parties don’t participate, then the legitimacy of the election will remain in question.”
Mostafa Jamal Haidar, the coordinator of the 12-party alliance, said they discussed with the BNP leaders the next course of action of the simultaneous movement to realise their 10-point demand including the resignation of the government and holding the next polls under a non-party neutral administration.
He said they will intensify the movement in the days to come and make it a success with the united efforts of all.
BNP standing committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman were also present at the meeting.
BNP won't go to election under AL, Fakhrul reiterates
The main opposition BNP would not go to election under an Awami League government and no election will be allowed under the incumbent, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday.
“It is impossible to hold a fair election under a party involved in vote rigging in even the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election and BNP will not participate in the next election led by the ruling party Awami League and it is final. Rather BNP with people of the country will resist the planned farcical election,” he said.
Fakhrul came up with the remark while speaking at the biennial conference of Nilphamari district unit BNP at Syedpur municipality community hall on Monday.
BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined the conference.
“Awami League is involved in confusing the nation by creating a political crisis in a planned way and it also established ‘reign of terror’ after snatching the rights of people. The Awami League pushed the country into bankruptcy by smuggling several thousand crores of money abroad. As a result, people are bearing the brunt of the soaring price of commodities,” said Fakhrul.
Also read: AL destroys electoral system by “so-called” SCBA polls, says BNP demanding fresh vote
“People will not go for any election under Awami League and they will not be allowed to grab the power through the people of the administration they set in the administration. The rights to vote will be returned to the nation through the restoration of freedom and democracy under the leadership of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Zia,” he said.
The BNP leader also urged the leaders and activists of the party and people of the country to be prepared for this.
The biennial conference of Nilphamari district unit BNP was held on Monday after seven years. A 151-member committee will be formed after the conference.
Some 303 members of Syedpur Upazila, municipality and Kishoreganj upazila committee will exercise their franchise for election of president, general secretary and organizing secretary.
Prof. Abdul Gafur Sarkar and assistant prof Shwakat Hayat Shah are vying for the post of district unit BNP President.
END/UNB/Corr/MAS/ssk
Fakhrul slams civil society members for their silence against repression, misdeeds
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.”
Fakhrul says govt allowed the Ahmadiyya religious event, calls it ‘controversial’
Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the government allowed the Ahmadiyya community’s recent religious event in Panchagarh – calling the congregation “controversial”.
“The government gave permission to hold this controversial event,” Fakhrul said in a press conference yesterday, video of which has generated reaction among netizens on social media.
Communal attacks on the Ahmadiyya community’s religious event in Panchagarh on March 3 left two dead and over 50 injured. The angry mob also looted around 20 houses belonging to the Ahmadiyya community located in Ahmednagar.
Fakhrul’s remark comes 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”.
AL to lose security money if next election is held under neutral govt: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said most of the Awami League candidates will lose their security money if the next national election is held under a non-party neutral government.
“Awami League won’t get even 30 seats if the election is held under a caretaker or neutral government. Their (most AL) candidates will lose their security deposit,” he said.
Speaking at an extended meeting of the Thakurgaon district unit BNP at his local residence, Fakhrul said the ruling party is against the caretaker government as it knows it will face a debacle in a fair and credible election.
Stating that political parties in Bangladesh do not trust each other, he said the caretaker government is the only solution in the current culture of Bangladesh’s politics to overcome the political crisis and have a fair and inclusive election.
The BNP leader alleged that the government has been carrying out false campaigns and indulging in various misdeeds to divert the people’s democratic movement, demanding the restoration of the caretaker government system and rights of people and the resignation of this government, to a different direction.
He urged the government to refrain from conducting ‘false’ campaigns against BNP.
Fakhrul alleged that the government wants to retain power by holding another ‘stage-managed’ election as they have already destroyed the electoral system. “But this time it won’t happen. The country’s people have woken up and they want to exercise their right to franchise.”
Govt behind Panchagarh communal violence
The BNP secretary general alleged that the government was behind the communal attacks on the Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh. “This happened with the direct and indirect backing of the government. The government must shoulder the responsibility for the incident.”
He alleged that Awami League leaders are blaming BNP for the communal attacks only to tarnish the image of the opposition party and hide the real offenders.
“Panchagarh incident was premeditated. It’s also an unexpected incident. The image of the country has been somewhat damaged while the image of the government has been seriously dented because of the incident,” Fakhrul observed.
He alleged that the government has orchestrated the incident to thwart the BNP’s movement that was moving ahead in full swing.
Fakhrul also said the people of the Ahmadiyya community clearly said in front of Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan that people around him were involved in this violence. “Among them, Abdur Rahman's name is notable. But none of them were arrested by the police, and no case was filed against them.”
He alleged that the government is trying to eliminate BNP leaders and activists in Panchagarh taking an advantage of the attacks on the Ahmadiyya community.
The BNP leader said cases have been filed against BNP leaders and workers and 180 of them have already been arrested. “A reign of terror has been created in Panchagarh. BNP leaders and supporters now can’t stay at home.”
He said attacking the Ahmadiyya community and damaging their houses and looting their valuables was a brutal and inhuman incident.
Even after such a horrific incident, Fakhrul said the government has been trying to put the blame on BNP instead of carrying out an impartially and fairly investigation to identify the real perpetrators.
He bemoaned that some media outlets have been carrying out false propaganda involving BNP with communal violence. “The media should always play a neutral role. If you (journalists) don't play a neutral role, people will remember it and give a fitting reply when the time comes.”
AL was big partner in plot to destroy democracy during 1/11:Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that Awami League was a big partner in the plot to destroy democracy through depoliticisation during the 1/11 political changeover in 2007.
“We have to keep it in mind that those who are now in power were not separated from that (1/11) conspiracy. Rather, they’re major partners in that conspiracy,” he told a discussion meeting.
The BNP leader also said Awami League has always taken a position against democracy and the country and its people.
“It’s Awami League which established one-party Baksal rule destroying democracy just in 11 minutes in parliament in 1975. The conspiracy to destroy Bangladesh and its nationalism has started since that day in 1975,” he observed.
As part of that plot, Fakhrul claimed that BNP founder and late President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in 1981. “Similarly, when an illegal government usurped power with the support of the military on 1/11, Awami League joined the swearing-in ceremony of Fakhruddin (the chief adviser of that regime) and extended its support to them."
Bangladesh Chhatra Forum and Uttaranchal Chhatra Forum organised the discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking the 17th anniversary of the arrest of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.
Tarique, the eldest son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, was arrested on March 7, 2007, by the joint forces on different charges, including corruption, from their then-cantonment residence.
After nearly 18 months of imprisonment, he went to London securing bail from the High Court on September 3, 2009. He has been staying there since then.
Fakhrul alleged that Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 as part of a conspiracy to weaken Bangladesh’s independence, and sovereignty and to harm its progress.
He said the ruling party has been carrying out huge propaganda against Tarique and spreading misinformation about him with an aim to portray him as a villain and disqualified to lead the nation. “Those who have taken a stand against Bangladesh and its interests, including some newspapers and TV Channels, have joined this campaign.”
The BNP Secretary General warned that the media owners who are indulging in misdeeds by conducting false campaigns against Tarique and BNP will not be able to sustain themselves since people will not forgive them.
He also said no false campaign against the Zia family and repressive acts against opposition leaders and activists can resist BNP from ousting the current regime.
The BNP leader said the country’s people will no longer allow any monarch and master to rule the country in the future.
“They (Awami League) think that the country is their monarchy and they’re the owner of the country and we all are their subjects. This is how they want to run the country. But people won’t allow them this time to hang onto power,” he said.
Fakhrul said their current movement has created a strong wave to wash away the current “fascist” and monstrous regime.
He also renewed their party’s stance that the next election must be held under a non-party caretaker government to ensure people’s right to franchise.
Power deal with Adani Group unnecessary, uneven: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday termed unnecessary and uneven the government’s power deal with the Indian Adani Group, and said Bangladesh will be unable to reap benefits from the project.
“The government has signed a power contract with India's Adani Group. Everyone at home and abroad is saying that this is an unnecessary and unfair deal,” he said.
If the deal is not revoked, the BNP leader said Bangladesh will have to pay money, but it won’t get much benefit.
"Through these kinds of deals and projects, they (AL leaders) are plundering huge public money and amassing wealth abroad,” he observed.
Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after placing a wreath at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave together with the leaders of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal’s newly announced full-fledged committee.
Read more: Any move to hold polls under a partisan govt to be resisted: Fakhrul
He said the Awami League government has no responsibility towards the people since it has usurped power using the state machinery. “The most serious matter is that there is no parliament to hold the government accountable. There is a parliament that is not elected by people."
The BNP leader alleged that the government has been looting money in a planned way by taking various unnecessary projects one after another and building assets in different countries by siphoning off ill-gotten money abroad since it came to power 14 years.
He also said the government has been in a picnic mood while the country’s people have been going through serious ordeals due to unusual price hikes in daily essentials.
"Since the government has no responsibility towards the people, they’re indulging in festivity. They’re today (Tuesday) holding a festival in President Abdul Hamid’s area,” Fakhrul observed.
The BNP leader said the government does not want to admit that there is an economic crisis and inflation has reached an extreme level in the country. “The common people of the country are now unable to buy rice.”
Amid such a situation, he said the government’s plan to stop the operation of OMS is a terrible move. “They’ll sell rice and essentials through cards which can create another scope for them (AL leaders) to indulge in corruption.”
Fakhrul said there is no alternative to continuing the ongoing movement to overcome the current situation of the country and the government’s misrule. "We have started the movement. In this movement, 17 of our leaders and workers were killed on the streets. We’ll surely establish a government of people by defeating the current fascist regime.”
On February 22 last, BNP announced a 251-member full-fledged committee of the Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, the youth front of the party, with Sultan Salahuddin Tuku as the president and Abdul Monayem Munna as the general secretary.
Any move to hold polls under a partisan govt to be resisted: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday warned that this time their party will resist any attempt to hold the next national election under a partisan government.
“They (govt) want to hold the polls (national election) as before. They’ll again rig and steal votes like before. But we’ll stand up and resist it. We must do it for the sake of our existence and rights and to protect Bangladesh and its people,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks in a brief rally on the premises of Nawabganj Shaheed Minra before the start of a march towards Boxanagar intersection by Dhaka District unit BNP.
Fakhrul said injustice like depriving people of their voting rights can no longer be tolerated. “We’re repeatedly being attacked and beaten up. We’re not willing to be beaten anymore."
He said the country’s people will be able to cast their votes freely if the election is held under a neutral government. “But it doesn’t happen now. They (AL) want to give their votes and also your votes. That's why people have started saying that if we had known before, we wouldn't have boarded your broken boat.”
The BNP leader said their party will not have any objection if Awami League comes to power again with people’s votes through a credible election under a neutral government.
He called upon the government to quit and dissolve the parliament and arrange the election under a non-party caretaker government by accepting BNP’s 10-point demand.
Read more: AL, its govt involved in BDR carnage: Fakhrul
The BNP leader said their party together with like-minded opposition parties has launched a simultaneous movement to save the country and its people from the misrule of the Awami League government.
He urged young people to come forward and make this movement a success. “All the changes that have taken place in Bangladesh, from the Language Movement to the movement in the 90s and the Liberation War, everything has been done by the young people.”
Fakhrul said they will establish a government of people by defeating the current ‘monstrous’ regime through a mass upsurge.
The BNP leader alleged that the current government has destroyed the economy of the country through unbridled plundering and theft. “They (AL leaders) are getting rich suddenly and making a lot of money by indulging in corruption. The Awami League leaders who had no sandals on their feet, now ride expensive cars and build big houses by sucking the blood and stealing the money from the country’s people.”
He also said the government is implementing mega projects in the name of devolvement to plunder public money. "But development is not benefiting common people. If this government comes again, this country will not exist, the nation will not exist.”
Later, several thousand leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies took out a silent procession from the Shaheed Minar that ended at the Boxanagar intersection after parading nearly a two-kilometer stretch of the road.
Earlier on Saturday, the party observed a similar programme in all districts, except Dhaka, to press home their party’s 10-point demand.
Fakhrul questions investigation into 2009 BDR mutiny
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that there was no proper investigation into the killings of 57 army officers in the BDR mutiny in 2009.
"We think the way this incident should have been investigated and the way the investigation process should have been conducted to bring out the real offenders and the masterminds through a fair investigation, that didn’t happen unfortunately,” he said.
Fakhrul came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at a monument set up at Banani Army Graveyard in memory of the army officials killed in the Pilkhana carnage, marking the 14th anniversary of the incident.
He said the Army had conducted an investigation into the BDR mutiny incident, but the nation has not yet got the full report of that probe.
The BNP leader said some people were awarded death sentences and life imprisonment in a case filed in connection with the mutiny and subsequent killings.
But he lamented that the trial of another case filed under the Explosive Substances Act in connection with the same incident has not yet been completed, forcing many soldiers of the erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) who claim themselves innocent still stay in jail.
"I was in prison a few days ago. I saw there that many ex-BDR members who were made accused in this case have been living inhumanly for 13/14 years. Their families and future are ruined,” Fakhrul said.
He demanded the government take steps to complete the trial in the explosive case so that those who are innocent can return to normal life with their families.
On 25-26 February 2009, a mutiny in the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) left 74 people, including 57 army officers, murdered at the Pilkhana Headquarters.
Fakhrul discharged from hospital
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was discharged from a city hospital on Monday around nine hours after being admitted there.
Fakhrul returned to his Uttara residence as doctors at United Hospital discharged him at around 9:30pm after assessing his medical reports and health condition, BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan told UNB.
He said the physicians advised the BNP secretary general to rest at home.
Earlier in the day, the BNP secretary general was admitted to the hospital at about 12:30pm as he fell sick at the party chairperson's Gulshan office.
Fakhrul was taken to the high dependency unit of the cardiology department of the hospital under Professor Muminuzzaman.
Later, he underwent some medical tests and no major complication was detected.
Fakhrul has been suffering from various health complications, including diabetes, hypertension and cardiac problems that worsened during his recent imprisonment.
He returned home on Thursday from Singapore after receiving medical treatment there for a week.
On February 10, Fakhrul and his wife went there for a follow-up checkup and treatment.
The 76-year-old received treatment at Singapore National University Hospital.
On December 9, a team of the Detective Branch (DB) of police picked up Fakhrul and party standing committee member Mirza Abbas from their homes in separate raids in the capital, a day before the party's much-talked about rally in the capital.
He walked out of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj on January 9 and received treatment at Evercare Hospital for two days before going to Singapore.
In 2015, while incarcerated, Fakhrul was diagnosed with a block in the internal carotid artery of his neck.
After his release, he went to Singapore for treatment. Since then, he needs to go to Singapore every year for follow-up treatment.