Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said that the outgoing year was for those who had no respect for people’s rights.
He hoped that the Year of 2020 will be the year for ‘restoration of democracy’. Mirza Fakhrul said this while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave together with leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), marking its 41st founding anniversary.
The BNP leader said, “Democracy has been banished from the country in the outgoing year. It is the year that witnessed snatching of people’s rights and stalk of fascism.”
“We always want to think and dream afresh in the New Year, and want to strengthen our organisation to make our dream a reality. We believe that a mass upsurge will take place to restore democracy in the country under the leadership of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal upholding the tradition of student movements,” Fakhrul said.
He said, “Chhatra Dal will wage a strong movement to get Chairperson Khaleda Zia released on bail. The movement will unite students and people to free democracy from shackles.”
Fakhrul said 2018 was the year of destruction of democracy for establishing ‘one-party’ rule though democracy was the main spirit of the Liberation War.
“Those who struggled for democracy were humiliated this year. Our leader Khaleda Zia has been kept in jail. Her jail term has been enhanced. Our thousands of leaders and activists were harassed and implicated in false cases,”the BNP leader observed.
Asked about their party’s expectation from the upcoming Dhaka city polls, he said “No free, fair and transparent election can take place under this government and the Election Commission. BNP is participating as we see it as an opportunity to reach the people.”
Besides, JCD will organise a voluntary blood donation programme on the ground floor of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on Thursday, marking its founding anniversary.
