Govt trying to ‘wipe out’ spirit of Liberation War: BNP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the government is trying to “restore” one-party rule in the country by “wiping out” the spirit of the Liberation War, reports news agency UNB.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of our independence. But unfortunately, we haven’t yet achieved the goal of a democratic state for which the Liberation War began in 1971,” he said.

The leader of BNP, the de facto opposition, alleged that the current regime continues to oppress the country’s people in different ways. “They’ve killed and made many people victims of enforced disappearance and maimed many others.”

He made the remarks while talking to newspersons after paying homage to martyred intellectuals by placing a wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur in the capital city, marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

Fakhrul further said Pakistani occupation forces killed many intellectuals, including physicians, teachers, journalists and engineers, on this day. “They also killed lakhs of people during the nine-month-long war. They killed our intellectuals to make the nation devoid of talents.”

The BNP leader said they believe that people will wake up again imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War to establish a parliament and government with their mandate by ousting the current “illegitimate” and “undemocratic” government.

Stating that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has been fighting for life at Evercare Hospital, he criticised the government for its rigid stance on not allowing her to go abroad for advanced treatment.

“Begum Khaleda Zia had been confined to jail for several years in fabricated cases. She’s now in a critical condition at the hospital. We have been talking about her release and sending her abroad for better treatment. But they (the government) aren’t paying heed to it,” the BNP leader said.

He alleged that the current “monstrous” government does not want to allow anyone, including Khaleda, to do politics. “They’ve initiated the process of depoliticisation in this country.”

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, its Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman, south city unit convener Abdus Salam, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, publicity secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anee and central leader Tabith Awal were, among others, present there.