'BNP running on joint leadership'

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said they are now working for mobilising public support to wage a strong movement.

"We're glad to say that we've created a joint leadership as our chairperson Khaleda Zia went to jail. We're taking all the decisions through the joint leadership, and reaching out to people as we'll launch a movement for the restoration of democracy involving them," he said.

Fakhrul came up with the remarks at a discussion arranged by the student forum of current and former students of Jagannath University at the National Press Club, demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

He called upon the people of all walks of life, including students, to get united to wage a mass movement to free Khaleda from jail for the restoration of democracy.

"Students always made outstanding sacrifices during the democratic movements in 1952, 1969, 1971 and the 90s. They liberated the country sacrificing their blood. It's now the responsibility of the students and youths to save the country and restore democracy," he observed.

The BNP leader said the government has put the country into a deep trouble by destroying democracy through a well-designed plot.

He alleged that the government is trying to remove pro-democratic leaders from politics to restore one-party rule by 'snatching' people's all the democratic rights and destroying all the democratic institutions.

Fakhrul also accused the government of 'using' all the state machineries, including the administration and judiciary, to depoliticise the country. "They're not even sparing the media."

He said there is now no alternative to forging a strong unity of pro-democratic people to wage a movement for restoration of democracy and having Khaleda freed from jail.

The BNP secretary general strongly denounced the deadly suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka that killed at least 290 people.

"We express deep shock over the loss of lives in the terrible attacks, and solidarity with the injured. We pray for their early recovery," he said.

Fakhrul said a strong movement needs to be launched across the world against terrorism.