Get ready for more sacrifices to oust AL govt: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday urged his party leaders and activists to prepare for 'more sacrifices' for making the current pro-democracy movement a success by ousting the Awami League government.

Speaking at a discussion here he also said they will not retreat from the street agitation until their goal is achieved.

"Our one point demand is the resignation of the government and Sheikh Hasina,” the BNP leader said, reports UNB.

He said the state power has to be handed over to a caretaker government and then an election must be conducted under a new Election Commission so the country gets a genuinely elected government of the people.

"We have already sacrificed a lot. Many of us are being arrested, jailed, and killed. We have to make more sacrifices,” Fakhrul told BNP rank and file.

He said their party leaders and activists will have to move forward by making sacrifices to get back democracy, and people’s rights and protect the country’s independence.

“Let us take the oath on November 7 that we won’t go back home from the streets without achieving our goals, ensuring the fall of this government, restoring democracy and people's rights,” the BNP leader said.

BNP arranged the discussion in front of its Nayapaltan central office, marking what the party said the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day'. Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment on 7 November 1975, paving the way for his coming to power. BNP has long been observing the day as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day’.

The BNP leader said November 7 is a very significant day for the nation as the country’s independence was consolidated for the second time on this day in 1975. “Soldiers and mass people created a new history by freeing proclaimer of independence Ziaur Rahman from captivity through their unprecedented revolution on this day.”

He said this revolution also paved a new chapter of a truly democratic, happy and prosperous Bangladesh. “Our leader Ziaur Rahman united the entire undivided nation in just four years.”

Fakhrul said Zia Introduced a free economy and multi-party democracy removing one-party rule, and restoring freedom of speech, freedom of expression, rights to freedom of assembly, and all fundamental rights in the country.

He said Zia also showed the nation a new dream in a short period of time to stand as a strong nation.

Speaking at the programme, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Ziaur Rahman restored democracy and people’s rights by freeing the nation from one-party Baksal rule.

“Awami League now again created a Baksal-like situation in the country by snatching people’s all rights and annihilating democracy. So, we take a vow on this day being imbued with the spirit of November 7 to restore democracy by ousting those who established Baksal.”

Earlier in the day, senior BNP leaders and activists, led by Mirza Fakhrul, placed a wreath at Zia’s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 11am.

They also offered fateha there and a munajat seeking salvation of Zia’s departed soul.

While BNP and its alliance partners celebrate November 7 as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of ‘Killing of freedom fighters”.