BNP Standing Committee Member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku spoke today at an event organized by 'Amra BNP Paribar' in Sirajganj. Photo: BSS

SIRAJGANJ, Feb 23, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee Member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku today stressed the necessity of holding national elections before local governments, saying martyrs' sacrifice will be meaningful only when an elected government by the people is in office through national elections.
 
“The sacrifice of martyrs will be fruitful only when the people’s government is established by completing the necessary reforms and holding national elections first (as soon as possible),” he said.

Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku made this remark at an event here at Bazar Station Road as chief guest. “Amra BNP Paribar” organized the event to meet and provide assistances to the families of the martyrs and injured in the July-August uprising.

Mentioning that fascist Awami League (AL) government’s cruelty had reached its peak in the past 17 years, he said the country’s people were fed up with various types of atrocities and oppression, including inhumanity, murder and enforced disappearance.

“Bangladesh’s people have been freed up from the barbaric rule of AL when the world's worst dictator fled away due to mass uprising of students and the people as well as immense sacrifice of thousands of BNP leaders and workers, and it has also paved the way of restoring freedom of speech,” he added.

The former minister termed AL as an opportunist, looter, democracy-abductor, genocidal and absconding party, saying in 1971, the main leader of this party voluntarily surrendered to the invading forces and went to a safe place. 

Besides, the top leaders also fled to neighboring countries and were obsessed with living a comfortable life, he added.

He continued that AL leaders again fled during the change of scenery in 1975, and in the July-August uprising. “Sheikh Hasina to bigwigs, mid-levels and grassroots leaders fled, many of them hid in holes,” he highlighted.

He, however, said “BNP doesn’t flee, not a single BNP worker has ever fled, BNP is like a phoenix bird, and it has risen again and again from the ruins.”

Mentioning that Shaheeed President Ziaur Rahman is the first reformer of independent Bangladesh, Tuku said, “He (Shaheed Zia) liberated the nation from BAKSAL and introduced multi-party democracy, and restored freedom of the press.”

Besides, the uncompromising leader and BNP Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia fought against the dictator for nine years and restored democracy by overthrowing the dictatorship, he noted.

The BNP standing committee member said the party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has started a new style of politics and the people are accepting his thinking and statements in a positive way. 

Referring to Tarique Rahman’s 31-point agenda, he said that the BNP acting chairman has addressed all the sectors and suggested for reforms, and no one can be the prime minister more than twice. 

Moreover, the 31-point agenda also advocated for a balance between the powers of the prime minister and the president, he added.

Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku told the interim government that "It is not your job to bring reform; your main job is to hold early parliamentary elections. The elected government and the national parliament will reform everything, which is good for the country."

The program was presided over by Amra BNP Paribar Convener Atiqur Rahman Rumon.

Sirajganj District BNP President Rumana Mahmud, BNP Central Executive Committee Member and District BNP General Secretary Saidur Rahman Bachchu, Police Reform Commission Member Khan Sayeed Hassan, Senior Joint General Secretary of JASAS Central Committee Rumana Morshed Kanakchapa, Amra BNP Paribar Member Secretary Krishibid Moksedul Momin Mithun, Amra BNP Paribar Adviser and BNP Central Committee assistant Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Ashraf Uddin Bakul, Amra BNP Paribar Adviser Md. Abul Kashem, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Ruma Khatun, daughter of Shaheed Abdur Rashid, spoke on behalf of the martyred families. The event was conducted by Amra BNP Paribar Member and Jatiotabadi Swechhasebak Dal central commitee Organizing Secretary Nazmul Hasan and Amara Zia Family Member Mustakim Billah.

Some 11 people were martyred in Sirajganj during the July-August anti-discrimination student-mass uprising.

At the event, on behalf of “We BNP Paribar”, assistance was provided to the families of martyrs Sohanur Rahman Ranju, Sumon Sheikh, Abdul Latif, Abdul Alim, Abdur Rashid, Shihab Uddin, Hafez Siam, Yahia Ali, Jahangir Alam, Nazrul Islam and Shaheed Lebu and financial assistance was also provided for the treatment of the injured.