Country wasn’t made independent to turn into monarchy: Mirza Abbas

BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said the country was made independent for democracy, freedom of speech and economic emancipation and not for establishing monarchy here.

He compared the country with the land of Hirak Raja, a fictional character of an oppressive monarch who runs the country at his whims.

Mirza Abbas said this while addressing a rally at Jhenaidah central bus terminal ahead of BNP’s road march towards Khulna at around 12:00 in the noon today.

“Let’s become passionate, let’s become united…this Hirak Raja will not be there much longer,” Abbas said.

Abbas said the country is on the verge of bankruptcy and the dollar reserve has dipped to almost zero. A massive plundering of the country has been going on for the last 15 years. PK Halder and many other big shots have siphoned off thousands of millions of taka. As a result, the default loan has stood at Tk 1090 billion.

Whoever protests this plundering is sent to jail, he said, adding that these criminals would be brought to book.

Abbas shared his experience of meeting ailing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia a few days ago. “I asked her, Madam, do you want to say anything? She shook her hand but didn’t say anything. I looked at her. Her gaze had unspoken language. Perhaps she wanted to say, what did you do for me? Didn’t I do anything for the country’s democracy, people and the state?”

BNP’s vice chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu said, “We’ve taken to streets demanding our one-point. Hundreds of leaders-activists were killed in this movement against fascism. False cases were filed against 4 million leaders-activists. Yet the BNP didn’t leave the field. The only reason behind this is BNP won’t go back home until Hasina resigns.”

BNP vice chairman Shamsuzzaman said, “The government is freeing thieves and robbers but not freeing the three-time prime minister. Dissolve the parliament and reconstruct the election commission before it’s too late. Otherwise, you won’t be spared once we start beating you.”

BNP vice chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury, advisor to Chairperson Syed Mehdi Ahmed, BNP acting organising secretary (Khulna) Anindya Islam, local government affairs secretary Sohrab Uddin, information affairs secretary Azizul Bari Helal, central Jubo Dal president Sultan Salah Uddin Tuku, central student affairs secretary Rakibul Islam, human rights affairs secretary Asaduzzaman, assistant organising secretary Jayanta Kumar Barai, Meherpur BNP leader Masud Arun, Chuadanga BNP leaders Mahbub Hasan Khan, Sharifuzzaman and other leaders of upazila and district units.

Jhenaidah BNP president NMA Mazid chaired the rally and secretary Zahiduzzaman conducted the rally.