BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today spoke at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Jan 23, 2025 (BSS) - BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today underscored the need for holding the national election soon for establishing people's just rights.

"We have been deprived of elections for almost 15 years. Quick election is needed now to ensure people's rights to elect their representatives," he told a discussion at Jatiya Press Club auditorium marking the 56th martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Asad.

Shaheed Asad Parishad organized the discussion with its President Dr. Mahbub Ullah in the chair. BNP Chairperson's Adviser Aman Ullah Aman, BNP Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon and Chief Coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolan Junaid Saki also spoke.

Noting that bureaucracy is still in the same state as it was before, Mirza Fakhrul said, "Starting from the secretariat, bureaucrats are playing the same role as before at all levels of administration. There has been no change yet".

About the poor state of the country's current education system, he said the entire education sector is going through massive problem as studies at educational institutions, epically universities, have stopped completely.

"The health care system has also almost collapsed. These came from the past. Changes in these areas may not be possible in such a short time. That is why we are saying that elections need to be held soon. The government that comes after the elections will be responsible for fulfilling its political commitments," he said.

The BNP Secretary General said who comes in the elections is not important, what is important is establishing the rights of the people. 

"We have been fighting for this for 15 years. We have high expectations from the current interim government. Naturally, after the uprising of the students and the masses, the expectations of the people have increased. But in the current situation in society, we cannot be sure whether our expectations will be fulfilled or not," he said.

Mirza Fakhrul said each political party has different programmes and they want to continue those programmes but everyone agrees on one thing that an election is necessary. Elections are not only to put a party in power, but also to create a democratic path, he added.
 
Regarding Shaheed Asad, he said, "Shaheed Assad is a name of love for those of us who participated in the student uprising of 1969. Asad is an inspiration in the struggle and movement we waged. Whether his name is in the textbooks or not, whether no one remembers him, no one can separate martyred Asad from history. Asad will remain immortal in the history of this country's freedom struggle."

The BNP Secretary General said as a result of the student uprising of 2024, a fascist ruler has been overthrown and she fled the country. 

He said in the mass uprising of 1969, the then military ruler Ayub Khan was forced to resign, "but we could not achieve our goal"