He will return, lead us, and show us the way: Fakhrul on Tarique Rahman

The whole nation has been waiting to see that the election will be held in the coming February, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated on Sunday.

The people of Bangladesh are also waiting for their leader, Tarique Rahman, to return and lead them, he said.

Speaking as a special guest at a rally organised by the BNP’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), in the capital’s Shahbagh area this afternoon, Fakhrul expressed his hope that the party’s acting chairman would return to Bangladesh ahead of the elections and lead them.

The student rally was organised to mark the anniversary of the historic July–August mass uprising.

“Our leader, Mr Tarique Rahman, after a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Yunus in London, has determined that the elections will be held in February. People across Bangladesh are waiting, the election will be held in February. But before that, they are also waiting for our leader, Mr Tarique Rahman, to return to the country. Isn’t that right? We all want that, don’t we? He will come, he will lead us, and he will show us the way,” Mirza Fakhrul said.

Emphasising that the students will have to go ahead nurturing merit and intellect, the BNP secretary general also said, “We cannot move forward without merit. It is through intellectual pursuit and scientific knowledge that we must progress.”

Bringing allegations against Sheikh Hasina, Mirza Fakhrul stated, “Fascist Hasina has taken refuge in neighbouring India along with her loyalists. From there, she has repeatedly been threatening to attack Bangladesh. Not only that, they are also trying to create unrest here through various means.”

Calling for unity in the face of such threats, the senior BNP leader urged, “We must remain united today. There are continuous attempts to create divisions in Bangladesh.”

Speaking further about this, he continued, “From today’s rally, we must pledge that we will never again allow Sheikh Hasina to participate in politics in this country. We must also vow that we shall never bow our heads to anyone. We will make our country self-reliant with our own strength.”

The rally began around 2:30 pm with a speech by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam.

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the rally virtually at around 3:15pm. The formal proceedings commenced with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, followed by the national anthem.

Presided over by Rakibul Islam and moderated by JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin, the event also featured speeches by BNP Vice-Chairmen Shamsuzzaman and Asaduzzaman; the party chairperson’s adviser Amanullah Aman; joint secretaries general Khairul Kabir, Habib-Un-Nabi Khan, and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, among others.