People know who fled the country after 1/11: Fakhrul

Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s remark that Awami League never runs away, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said that people know who fled the country after the political changeover during 1/11.

“The prime minister said in Rajshahi yesterday (January 29, 2023) that Awami League never flees. Everyone knows who fled the country after being arrested during the 1/11 (government),” he said.

The BNP leader also said their party chief Khaleda Zia did not leave the country at that time. “She (Khaleda) clearly said I have no place abroad. This is my country. I was born here… Even if I die, I will die here… So, everyone knows who escaped where, when and how.”

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while launching the march programme of their party’s Dhaka South City unit – towards Jurain from Jatrabari.

Fakhrul said their march is a “victory march of democracy.” “This is our victory march to get back people’s rights.”

He asked the party leaders and activists to hold programme peacefully, as they did with all other previous programmes.

He, however, warned the ruling party not to consider BNP’s peaceful programmes as its “weakness”. “A strong resistance will be put up if our programme is obstructed.”

The BNP leader also said they will achieve the final victory by “ousting” the current government through peaceful programmes with the involvement of the public.

He said the ruling party leaders are now making “unguarded” remarks as they have lost the ground beneath their feet after becoming isolated from people.

Calling out the ruling party for its “ill-efforts” to ensure the victory of Advocate Abdus Sattar – a former MP and sacked BNP leader – in the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency by-polls, Fakhrul said no fair election can be held as long as Awami League is in power.

As part of BNP’s four-day programme, leaders and activists of its Dhaka South City unit marched towards the capital's Jurain rail gate area from Jatrabari to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.

Fakhrul formally inaugurated the programme in front of Jatrabari Ideal School around 2:50 pm on Monday.

It was the second such programme of BNP as the leaders and activists of the party’s Dhaka North City unit marched from Badda to Malibagh in the capital on Saturday.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the programme, carrying banners, national, party and white flags, festoons and portraits of the party's top leaders.

A huge number of law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order and fend off any untoward incidents.

Earlier on Thursday, BNP announced the four-day march programme in the capital for January 28, 30, 31 and February 1.

Dhaka North City unit of BNP will also march from Gabtoli to Mirpur-10 intersection on January 31. Dhaka South City unit of BNP will march from Mugda to Malibagh on February 1.