Fakhrul to govt: Hand over power to people

The Awami League regime must hand over power to the people of the country, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a discussion programme, on Thursday, he said the current government is a puppet of hegemonic forces.

The Association of Engineers, Bangladesh arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the second death anniversary of Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).

Saying that the killing is not an isolated incident as more than 500 leaders and activists of BNP have disappeared, and over a thousand others have been killed, Fakhrul added, “These incidents happened as part of a far-reaching plot of hegemonic forces.”

“Awami League wants to turn Bangladesh into a subservient state by establishing a one-party Baksal rule under cover of democracy. We’ve to come out of this conspiracy through a united movement. I believe it’s not possible to defeat the people of Bangladesh who always struggled for their rights,” he said.

Abrar, 21, a second-year electrical and electronic engineering student of Buet, was beaten to death in the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall reportedly by a group of Chhatra League leaders and activists on October 7, 2019 following a post on Facebook against Indian ‘aggression’ on Bangladesh.

Fakhrul said the entire nation, not only BNP, has been going through a crisis as the government obliterated democracy and snatched people’s rights.

“So, the entire nation must unite and fight against the government to overcome the crisis.  All patriotic political forces and parties, individuals and social and professional organisations must get united putting aside all conflicts and confusions to establish a government and parliament of people through an uncontainable movement,” he said.

Stating that Abrar sacrificed his life for the cause of the country, the BNP leader said, “Let's free the country from an autocratic regime and build a truly democratic state to value the sacrifice of Abrar Fahad.”

Fakhrul criticised the government for arresting Nusrat Shahrin Raka, the sister of Kanak Sarwar, a Bangladeshi journalist who is now abroad.

"Kanak Sarwar took shelter in the US to save his life being tortured by this government. He unveiled some facts on the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the USA through his channel. That’s why the government is repressing his sister out of vengeance,” he said.

Fakhrul said it is unimaginable that a housewife like Raka who has no involvement in politics was arrested and put on remand.

He said the government has exposed how much it has become ‘fascist’, ‘authoritarian’ and ‘oppressive’ by torturing such a woman.

“This is nothing new as we have seen many such incidents, including the repression on journalist Rozina Islam, earlier. The mothers and sisters of our many leaders and activists have been repressed and their houses have been demolished the same way,” Fakhrul alleged.