Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday urged party leaders and activists to prepare for the national elections in February, calling on them to avoid any actions that聽 could lead to accusations of wrongdoing, land grabbing, business takeovers, or extortion.
He made the call at a rally organised by the Sylhet district and metropolitan units of the BNP at the Sunrise Community Centre in Sylhet city.
Fakhrul said that although a fascist regime ended on August, 5, 2024, the real challenge ahead was the struggle for democracy.
鈥榃e want to establish a democratic Bangladesh where everyone鈥檚 rights would be respected 鈥� a country where people would be able to vote freely, speak openly and our sons and daughters would have opportunities to study, work, and access healthcare,鈥� he said.
Fakhrul said that the BNP wanted to create a new Bangladesh but it would not be easy as there were many enemies who were trying to create obstructions.
鈥業 want to make it clear 鈥� I tell the government and all the political parties 鈥� the more the elections would be delayed, the more Bangladesh would suffer. There can be no government stronger than one elected by the people,鈥� he said.
Fakhrul thanked the interim government chief adviser, saying that following discussions with the BNP acting chair in London a tentative election timeline had been agreed for mid-February.
He said that BNP leaders and activists must now prepare for the upcoming election and build love and unity among the people so they saw no alternative to the BNP.
鈥榃e must make sure that no one can say bad things about us or accuse us of corruption, land grabbing, or extortion. We need to earn the people鈥檚 trust by acting with integrity,鈥� Fakhrul added.
He called upon the party activists to prepare for elections and go to the people.
The party鈥檚 United Kingdom unit president MA Malik organised the programme to pray for eternal peace of the departed soul of the BNP founder Shaheed Ziaur Rahman and sound health and a long life of party chair Khaleda Zia.
Among others, BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and AZM Zahid Hossain also addressed the programme.
Earlier, in the morning, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul reached Sylhet by air from Dhaka and visited the shrine of Hazral Shahjalal in the city.
