The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party vice chairman, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, expressed his fear on Thursday about the independent existence of Bangladesh under the pressure of international superpowers, including neighbouring countries.
Referring to such context, he said that if the BNP came back to power, it would take the initiative to turn the students and youth of Bangladesh into a ‘citizen army’ through military training like in South Korea, Israel, and other countries.
The BNP leader came up with the remark at a press conference following a meeting of the party’s Independence Day Celebration committee at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan.
‘Today we are worried about one thing. Bangladesh may gradually get involved in the conflict between international powers. There is now an internal conflict in Myanmar, in particular, that involves external forces. Gradually, Bangladesh may also have to get involved in a war due to the pressure of international powers,’ he said.
Hafiz urged the youth of the country to be ready for such a situation.
‘In the future, if there is a danger of the destruction of independence and sovereignty, the BNP will take initiatives so that the common people of the whole country can resist it, along with the armed forces, the students, and the youth,’ he said.
Hafiz Uddin also alleged that various foreign powers want to subjugate Bangladesh.
‘Today, our neighbouring states or other superpowers outside the world want to subjugate us. A political party is responsible for the cultural aggression we are witnessing,’ he said.
Complaining about distorting the history of the War of Independence, Hafiz Uddin said, ‘The main statement of the freedom fighters on Independence Day is that we want to restore democracy. I want voting rights back. I want an end to bank robberies. The spirit of the War of Independence should not only be spoken.’
He said that the number of freedom fighters in 1971 was 80,000, while now it has reached two and a half lakh.
‘Freedom fighters are being born gradually every day. If they are members of the Awami League, they are getting the proper allowances and privileges of freedom fighters. Those who were born long after the War of Independence, they too,’ he said.
He said that the War of Independence in 1971 was to establish democratic rights.
‘But today there is no democracy… no basic rights, no freedom of speech, and no press. Bangladesh has been turned into a police state,’ he said.
