Bureaucracy turns into 'bureaucrat league': Mirza Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks at an extended meeting of Thakurgaon district BNP at Hawlader community centre on 8 September 2021.Prothom Alo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general has said the ruling Awami League has become bankrupt politically and the party has no political outlook.

"They are utilising bureaucracy to stay in power. In fact this bureaucracy has turned into 'bureaucrat league'. All state machineries from the judiciary to administration and law enforcement agencies are being controlled from the party point of view," alleged Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

The BNP secretary general made the remarks at an extended meeting of Thakurgaon district BNP at Hawlader community centre on Wednesday. Fakhrul is now on an orgainstional tour to Thakurgaon.

Mirza Fakhrul said, "They have grabbed power by holding elections at night the day before the election day by using the state machineries. The main goal is to establish one-party rule in a planned manner by sending the democracy into exile, especially after 2008. This party failed to establish one-party rule Bakshal in 1975."

As part of the plan they organised such an election in 2014 in which 154 members of parliament won uncontested, he said adding they did not declare a neutral election despite commitment in 2018.

Fakhrul said the government formed an election commission under its control. Unleashing reign of terror at night before the election day the help of the so-called election commission, they took the election results in their favour, he added.

Criticisiung some media outlets and journalists, the BNP leader said the government snatched the rights of the people wearing the mask of democracy. A section of media people has unfortunately engaged in the process, he said. May be they are under pressure or to gain personally, Fakhrul said.

He said a section of people from the civil society knowingly or unknowingly engaged in the process. Today's crisis is not the crisis of BNP. It is a crisis of the entire nation.

Mirza Fakhrul said the main elements of democracy - accountability and multiparty, have been ruined. Now here one person is worshipped and picture of one person is shown. As if no one has contribution to the country.

As a result, declarer of independence Ziaur Rahman is being taken to task and he is abused, he said adding it does taste good to talk over this.

When asked about BNP's plans to force the government to step down and hold an credible election, Mirza Fakhrul said, "We are talking to different political parties and trying to reach a consensus so that we can launch a movement to restore democracy. Through this movement, we can force the Awami League government to accept the demand of the people."

Former minister Kamrul Islam criticised Fakhrul's remarks that Jamaat has rights to do politics.

About the matter, Fakhrul said, "Kamrul and their associates have made friendship with the anti-liberation forces. They launched movement together demanding the caretaker government. Later they maintained relationship on different matters. But we are proceeding with our own programme."

District BNP general secretary Mirza Faysal Amin, vice president Obaidullah, among others, spoke at the meeting with the district unit president Taimur Rahman in the chair.