The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, said on Saturday that the party was facing attack by a terrible ‘monster’ in the country.
‘We are being attacked by a terrible monster which has taken away our voting rights,’ he said.
Fakhrul came up with the remarks while addressing a Iftar programme arranged by the party’s Dhaka north and south units at Dhaka Ladies Club to pray for the well-being of party chairperson Khaleda Zia and in honour of the families of those killed and subjected to enforced disappearances during anti-government movements.
Addressing the party leaders and activists regarding the movement of the BNP, Fakhrul said that nothing ever happened in a shortcut way and that every great victory required sacrifice.
The movement is a movement to protect the nation, he said.
The BNP top leader also urged the party people to make Dhaka a fortress of movement in the future and strengthen the party in every area of the capital city.
He said that BNP leaders and activists were being denied rights and were victims of enforced disappearances, maiming, and killing.
Mentioning that all pillars of the state, including the judiciary, are on the verge of destruction, he said, ‘The monster government is sitting on our chests. If the government is not removed, the country will be destroyed.’
‘I have seen thousands of leaders and activists of Dhaka city in jail. Even our leader Khaleda Zia is constantly being pushed towards death by convicting her in false cases.’
He said, ‘The current authoritarian regime wants to perpetuate its power. They tried this before, but did not succeed. They would not succeed this time either.’
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said that jail was a second home for politicians.
The family members of enforced disappeared people do not know if they are alive or dead, he said.
He said, ‘We want independence and sovereignty. BNP does not compromise with anyone to come to power. It does not want to come to power by selling freedom and sovereignty.
‘When that uncompromising leader [Khaleda] is imprisoned, democracy is also imprisoned,’ he also added.
