BNP Vows to Restore Democracy: Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said their party followers have taken a vow on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day to ‘restore’ democracy in Bangladesh.

"InshAllah, we'll establish democracy as it was the main spirit of the Liberation War, and we’ve taken this oath here. We’re also committed to establishing a people's government in a true sense,'' he said paying homage to the best sons of the soil on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Fakhrul together with BNP senior leaders visited the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur and paid deep respect to the martyred intellectuals who were assassinated systematically by the Pakistan occupation forces and their local collaborators at the fag-end of the Liberation War in 1971.

Talking to reporters later, he said Pakistanis killed the prominent and talented intellectuals of the nation on December 14 as part of their blueprint to make Bangladesh intellectually bankrupt.

On this day in 1971, the country’s renowned academicians, doctors, engineers, journalists, artists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded and taken to unknown places, and then brutally tortured and killed.

Fakhrul said the intellectuals and the freedom fighters wanted to build a democratic Bangladesh ensuring freedom of speech. “But it’s unfortunate that democracy, people’s freedom of speech and expression has been snatched now in that Bangladesh… the spirit of the Liberation War has been destroyed.”

He demanded the government release their party’s all the arrested and jailed leaders and activists, and ensure freedom of expression.

Asked about Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s comment that BNP has been patronising from behind the communal forces who are trying to create chaos over Bangabandhu’s statue issue, Fakhrul parried the question.