BNP Secretary General MirzaFakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said the collaborators of Pakistani occupation forces, who aided in the massacre during 1971, are now speaking out loudly.
“Those who had carried out the massacre at that time (during the 1971 Liberation War) are now speaking loudly. I don’t want to name anyone. I don’t want to create bitterness. But history is history. No one can distort history,” he said.
The BNP Secretary General made the remarks while presiding over a discussion in the city on the occasion of the 55th Independence Day.
BNP arranged the event at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) Auditorium.
MirzaFakhrul said the Pakistani army has not apologized yet for the massacre, though they killed tens of thousands of people here in 1971. Pakistan has not apologized to Bangladesh for that massacre, he said.
He alleged that now some people, parties and groups are here who are trying to change perception over the 1971 liberation war.
Noting that there is no alternative to election, the BNP leader said election is the gateway to democracy. They think there is no other system except democracy that can bring welfare for the people, he said.
“But today a new conspiracy has started so that this process can be longer or delayed, someone else can be helped and anarchy can be created in the country,” he said.
Fakhrul said new so-called leaders (notunnotunQutub) have emerged on social media.
“I don’t know where they want to take Bangladesh. Their language, words, sentences and statements want to take Bangladesh towards anarchy. They don’t want to take it (Bangladesh) towards democracy. So, Today we have to be careful,” he said.
Citing that BNP has saved the country from crisis every time, he said that now a crisis has arisen again in the country. “Such a crisis has arisen today that attempts continue to make our patriotic army controversial, which we cannot accept at all,” he added.
The BNP secretary general said, “We can never allow those who protect our country, those who stand by us in a crisis, to be controversial.”
He, in an indirect reference to NCP leader SarjisAlam, said, “We can clearly understand the intentions of those who take to the election campaign with a fleet of 100 cars.”
Fakhrul Islam said BNP is with the people and will do in future as did in the past. “BNP will definitely be victorious, InshaAllah,” he said.
Claiming that BNP laid the foundation of the revolution, he said they certainly pay deepest respect to those who lost their lives in the 2024 mass uprising and express our condolences to those who were injured.
Fakhrul said they fought for 15 years (against the autocratic regime) and their 800 students and youths were martyred in this movement and their six million people were implicated in false cases. “No one of our leaders and activists could sleep at home,” he said.
“Even after that, we have to hear what BNP did? BNP started the movement. BNP made so many sacrifices. BNP laid the foundation,” he said.
He said the revolution did not happen suddenly. “The foundation for the revolution had to be laid. And BNP laid this foundation,” said Fakhrul Islam.
Pointing at his party leaders and activists, he said there is no reason to belittle their party. “You are the ones who are the masters of this revolution and this change, you will take it forward,” he said.
The BNP told his party leaders and activists that the future of Bangladesh depends on them. “The future of democratic Bangladesh depends on you. The future of anti-discrimination Bangladesh depends on you,” he said.
Addressing the function as the chief guest, BNP Standing Committee Member KhandakerMosharrafHossain said various excuses are being created to delay the election.
“People are suspecting that a conspiracy is going on regarding the elections. Various excuses are being created to delay it (election).
KhandakerMosharraf said if the election date is announced, all the conspiracies being hatched by the ousted fascist government could be thwarted as people would enter into electoral journey.
“So, we would like to call and demand the immediate announcement of the election date without any delay for the sake of the country, people, the law and order, economy and even for the current government,” he said.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and vice chairman Ahmed Azam Khan, among others, spoke at the discussion moderated by its publicity secretary Sultan SalahuddinTuku.