Staff Reporter :
The main opposition party, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, alleged on Thursday that the incumbent Awami League government’s aim is to make Bangladesh dependent on others.
“This government’s main goal is to turn Bangladesh into a failed state by depleting its assets and making the country dependent on other countries,” he said while talking to reporters on the premises of Zaiur Rahman’s grave in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.
Earlier, Fakhrul, accompanied by BNP leaders and workers, paid homage to its founder and late President Ziaur Rahman by placing a wreath, marking his 43rd death anniversary.
The BNP leader said Bangladesh is now completely under the grip of mafias and plunderers. “Bangladesh is now entirely under the control of offenders, looters, and mafias. On one hand, they (the government) are snatching the political rights of people; on the other, they are destroying the economy,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul said their party and other opposition parties have continued their movement against the AL regime. “Inshallah, we will emerge victorious in this struggle,” he said.
The BNP leaders also participated in a milad and doa mahfil, seeking eternal peace for the departed soul of Zia and the good health of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
He said they came to pay tribute to their party founder and great leader, Ziaur Rahman, when democracy was completely exiled in Bangladesh.
The BNP leader also said the ruling Awami League has taken away the voting rights of the people by using various tactics and usurping power to restore one-party rule in a different manner.
“So on the anniversary of his (Zia’s) martyrdom, we have taken an oath that we, the young, the old, and the women, will intensify the movement that is going on now to protect our rights, the independence, and the sovereignty of the country. We’ll establish a pro-people government by defeating this terrible monstrous regime through this movement,” Mirza Fakhrul said.
Ziaur Rahman, who founded the BNP in 1978, was assassinated by a group of disgruntled army officers at Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, 1981.
The BNP and its associate bodies chalked out various programmes, including discussion meetings, seminars, photo exhibitions, wearing black badges, publishing newspaper supplements, and distributing food and relief materials to the destitute, to observe the day with due respect.
On the occasion, black flags were hoisted, and party flags were kept at half-mast atop the offices of the party and its associate bodies, including the Nayapaltan headquarters at 6 a.m.