Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said that internal divisions and unnecessary debates in political and social circles could cause setbacks for Bangladesh, warning that such divisions could empower fascist forces to tighten their grip on the country once again.
He said that those who frequently talked about reforms and indirectly blamed the BNP for not cooperating they were making inaccurate claims.
Fakhrul claimed that the BNP had consistently been cooperating with the reform process and remained willing to work with all parties.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal at the Shahbagh crossing, the BNP secretary general said that his party could not be cornered through pressure or political tactics, adding that it remained committed to establishing a new, democratic Bangladesh.
鈥楲et me be very clear 鈥� no matter who tries, creating various forms of pressure to corner us will not succeed. The people of this country have fought before. They know how to fight,鈥� he said.
Fakhrul raised questions about the delay in prosecuting Sheikh Hasina.
鈥榃here is Hasina鈥檚 trial? It鈥檚 been a year, and we have seen little progress. Why hasn鈥檛 the trial even started?鈥� he asked.
Fakhrul paid tribute to the martyrs of the July uprising and past political struggles at the event.
He said that the goal was to build a new Bangladesh where the public could look to the BNP, Juba Dal, and Chhatra Dal and and recognise them as good people and a good party.
The event was held to mark the anniversary of the July-August mass uprising and was themed around graffiti painting as a symbolic act of resistance and memory.
Fakhrul inaugurated the programme by picking up a paintbrush and symbolically retouching a piece of graffiti on the canvas.
He emphasised the importance of public perception in politics, saying that it was the key driver in political processes.
Fakhrul said that if real change was desired, it was necessary to ask the people what they wanted, citing examples such as the rickshaw pullers and small business owners, and asking them about how their lives and businesses had improved.
Expressing deep sorrow, the BNP leader said that he was overwhelmed with grief upon learning that five of the student coordinators had been arrested.
He stated that they were allegedly involved in forcing a former Member of Parliament to pay Tk 50 lakh in extortion from her home.
鈥業s this the outcome we wanted? Did anyone among the people of Bangladesh want this? If such an incident can happen so soon 鈥� it has not even been a year of uprising 鈥� then what does it say about our future?鈥� Fakhrul questioned.
Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal president M Monayem Munna and general secretary Nurul Islam Nayan also spoke at the event.
