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Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday urged the government not to make political parties its opponents.

He also protested information and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam’s accusation that political parties were trying to undermine the interim government and demanded the statement be withdrawn.

‘I don’t know why or in what context he [adviser Nahid] said this, or whether he understood the meaning of it. This is a dangerous  allegation. I strongly condemn and protest against it. I think he should withdraw his comment,’ he told a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

Fakhrul called upon the interim government to be cautious in making its statements. ‘Please don’t make political parties your opponents.’

He said that students, people, and political parties, including the BNP, had all entrusted the interim government with the responsibility to create an environment in which a fair election could be held and a people’s government and parliament could be established.

‘Political parties are supporting you [government], but you’re claiming they are working to make you fail. We have stated this countless times, and our acting chairman has also said that the failure of this government would mean the failure of people and us. So, why do you make such statements?’ the BNP leader asked.

He said that the government and democratic forces had to be very cautious with their words and actions.

‘We shouldn’t say anything that undermines our victory or destroys our achievements. This is the most critical time—one wrong step could lead to a setback, causing you to fall into a ditch,’ Fakhrul cautioned.

He said that the fascist ruler Sheikh Hasina, who fled Bangladesh and took refuge in India, was actively working against the interests of the country. The Awami League leaders and workers were continuously engaging in false propaganda and spreading misinformation against the country using social media.

The BNP leader urged his party colleagues to be active on social media, countering the misinformation with facts and intellectual discourse.

He said that BNP leaders and workers had to continue their efforts to institutionalise democracy and establish a healthy democratic political culture in Bangladesh.

‘There is still much work ahead of us. Many people believe their job is done now as Hasina has fled, but we have a long way to go before we can make democracy both a culture and a system. Let’s take an oath that we will build ourselves into worthy citizens of the country and dedicated democratic workers,’ Fakhrul said.

He said that democracy was not just a notion but a culture. ‘We must learn how to speak, how to behave, how to interact with our neighbours, and how to engage with our political opponents in a democratic way. Democracy does not mean cutting someone’s throat for supporting the Awami League or BNP. Democracy means absolute tolerance.’

Fakhrul also expressed concern over a current tendency to overshadow the 1971 Liberation War by glorifying the recent mass upsurge.

‘I believe this is part of a larger conspiracy to distance the nation from its original history. We see this as a distortion of history, and we must be careful about it,’ he added.