Shawdesh desk:

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that the government has created an ‘awful’ situation in the country by ‘obliterating’ democracy.

‘There’s no democracy in the country while the judiciary has no independence. There’s no freedom of speech and press freedom. More than 35 lakh patriotic people have been harassed with false cases,’ he said.

The BNP leader also alleged that the government is resorting to enforced disappearance, killing and repression to suppress its opponents. ‘A terrible situation has been created in the country as govt have established a fascist rule.’

Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman by placing a wreath at his grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar marking the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ remembering ‘civil-military uprising’ on November 17 in 1975.

He said there is no alternative to forging a strong unity of people to ‘restore’ democracy and people’s rights in the country.

‘On this day, we’ve taken a vow to unite the people of this country and all political parties and organisations to defeat the fascist government and release Begum Khaleda Zia from jail,’ the BNP leader said.

He said Bangladesh would surely stand on its own feet as an independent force again against hegemony and imperialism. ‘We’ll continue our struggle to turn Bangladesh into a democratic state.’

About the historic event of Nov 7, 1975, Fakhrul said the people had got a scope on that day to materialise the hopes and aspirations with which they fought for independence. ‘We’re able to consolidate democracy, our independence, and sovereignty under Ziaur Rahman through the civil-military uprising on November 7.’

He said Zia introduced multi-party democracy, free economy and created an opportunity to build a good society. ‘The biggest thing is that Bangladesh stood up again against socialism, hegemony while the freedom of press and judiciary were ensured…We remember this day repeatedly as it inspires us.’

The BNP leader alleged that Awami League usurped power and destroyed all achievements of the country and people’s all hopes and aspirations by establishing an autocratic rule. ‘They have ruthlessly destroyed all the pillars of the state with their own hands.’

Earlier, Fakhrul along with BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Nazrul Islam Khan went to Zia’s grave. They, together with some other party leaders, paid homage to Zia.

On this day in 1975, amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.

While BNP and its alliances 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’. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.