BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday (July 01, 2023) said the current regime will be forced to concede to their demand for holding the next election under a non-party government as their party is going to launch a different type of movement involving the masses. Talking to reporters at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, he, however, assured that they will not announce any harsher programmes like hartal and blockade to avoid street violence. “It’ll undoubtedly be a little different from the previous movements and the involvement of the people will also increase,” the BNP leader said. Also read: BNP's movement to boil down to single point 'soon': Fakhrul He also said they are confident that there will be huge involvement of mass people, especially the young ones, in their one-point anti-government movement. “We believe that the government will finally be forced to concede and resign to hold the next election under a neutral government,” Fakhrul said. He claimed that their party’s recent youth rallies in different cities and districts evoked overwhelming response. Also read: It’s govt’s far-reaching political conspiracy, says Fakhrul about fresh case against Zia “We’ll now begin (road) march programmes. We hope that we’ll kick off the one-point movement in the future,” the BNP leader said. He said the one-point demand will be the combination of the BNP’s 10-point and the other opposition parties’ different demands with the objective to force the Awami League regime to quit, dissolve parliament, and arrange the national polls under a caretaker government by reconstituting the Election Commission. “The one-point demand is basically the resignation of this government.” Asked about the nature of the new-type of movement, the BNP leader said they are consciously avoiding any harsher programmes like hartal and blockade. Also read: Govt to blame for US’s disrespectful visa policy: Fakhrul “There is no reason for us to resort to violence. If the government somehow pushes the movement in that direction, then they’ll be held responsible for it. We’re carrying out the movement peacefully and we want to go to the final stage of it peacefully." Fakhrul, who returned to Dhaka in the afternoon from his home district Thakurgaon after celebrating the Eid-up-Azha, talked about different political issues while exchanging Eid greetings with journalists.

BNP on Saturday alleged that the government has kept educational institutions shut for a long time only to prevent a possible movement instead of protecting students from Covid-19. Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office on the outcome of Friday’s virtual meeting of their party’s standing committee, he called upon the government to resume academic activities in the all educational institutions immediately maintaining health safety rules. Read: PM's remark on Zia's grave 'absurd': BNP He also demanded the government bring the students up to the age of 18 under the Covid vaccine coverage. About Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s comment that evil forces are taking preparations to create chaos after the reopening of universities, Fakhrul said, “His (Quader’s) remark has exposed that the educational institutions have been kept closed to avoid a movement, not to protect the health of students.” Referring to a recent report published by Unicef, he said Bangladesh ranks second in the world in terms of the closure of educational institutions at all levels due to Covid -19. “Over four crores of students from pre-primary to higher-education levels have been affected as a result of prolonged closure.” The BNP leader alleged that the government has raised a question about Ziaur Rahman’s grave at Chandrima Udyan to divert people’s attention to a different direction from its failures and misdeeds. Read: BNP says AL has no Liberation War spirit He said Zia was buried at Chandrima Udyan following a janaza joined by lakhs of people. “The then Army Chief Ershad (HM Ershad) himself carried his (Zia’s) body.” Fakhrul said Awami League has been talking about such unnecessary issues as it has got politically 'bankrupt'.  “Why don't they come to the main points? They don't  talk about holding a credible election strengthening the democratic institutions and restoring the rights of people, including the right to vote,” he observed. The BNP leader urged the government to inform people about what it has done to tackle Covid, protect people’s lives and livelihoods and help the day- labourers. He said people are getting poorer, but those who belong to Awami League are getting richer and they are siphoning off money abroad. “Social instability and anti-social activities have been growing as no institutions are working properly in the country. It’s going to be a failed state.” On Thursday, the Prime minister said, “BNP engaged in fights at Chandrima Udyan. Doesn't the BNP know that there's no grave or body of Zia, or Zia is not there? They know it very well! If so, why do they stage the drama? Khaleda Zia is also aware of it.” While addressing a programme virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban, Sheikh Hasina also said whether Khaleda Zia or Tarique Zia could claim that they saw Zia’s body in the box (which was brought from Chattogram) as a bullet-hit body can easily be recognised. “No one saw it as there was no body (of Zia) in the box,” she said.  Reacting to her remarks, Fakhrul said no person who has integrity and good taste can make such comments. “Her remarks are indecent, disgusting, and nothing but lies.” He said the Prime Minister also hurt the religious sentiment of Muslims by raising a question about late Zia’s body and grave. “People didn’t take it easily as Ziaur Rahman is in their hearts.”

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the government is misleading people about the country’s real condition by talking about development.