Govt using elections as weapon to establish fascism: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the government has taken up elections as a weapon to establish fascism.

"Their sole target is to establish a one-party fascism by destroying democracy and the opposition parties. They tried to do this in the past, but could not succeed due to political changeover...They're pursuing this goal in a different style this time by using elections as their weapon," he said.

Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing a milad mahfil arranged by the BNP at its Nayapaltan central office seeking the speedy recovery of its ailing standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Rafiqul Islam Miah.

He said the BNP is being forced to carry out a movement as the government is not allowing free and fair elections in the country. "We want a change through the election. But you [government] are holding the elections in your own style taking the results in your favour. That system cannot continue."

The BNP leader said they still want a peaceful solution to the political crisis and hopes that good sense will prevail upon the government to save the country by accepting the people's demand for holding the next election under a non-partisan neutral government. "We think and the country's people believe that the crisis will be resolved through the election."

He said his party and its alliance partners are going to announce the final action programmes of their current anti-government movement. "All parties, besides us, involved in the simultaneous movement have decided to announce a new journey for the restoration of democracy and holding a fair and impartial election from our respective places on 12 July."

Fakhrul alleged that the current 'illegal' regime has destroyed democracy very consciously by resorting to repressive acts.

He said the government has killed and oppressed many opposition leaders who were carrying out the movement to bring back democracy. "The biggest damage they have done is sickening the entire nation. They have turned this state into a sick one."

The BNP leader said many of his party's senior leaders, including Mosharrf, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar Nazrul Islam Khan and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi are now sick. "But we're working, carrying out a movement, and reaching out to people. Our goal is to heal this sick state and free the nation from sickness."

"Madam [BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia] herself told me how she was kept in the old Central Jail. The great leader was kept in a shabby old building with water leaking through its walls and rats running around," Fakhrul said.

He also said when Khaleda fell sick in jail, the government did not take any steps for her treatment. "The doctors held a press conference and said she needs urgent treatment. But she's not treated. Amid the coronavirus, she was sent home. But the prime minister said she felt pity…We didn't ask for mercy.  We wanted justice."

The BNP leader said people do not live in a kingdom under the rule of a queen or king in Bangladesh. "We fought in 1971 for an independent democratic state and for the establishment of the rights of people."

Later, a munajat was offered praying for the quick recovery of the ailing BNP leaders.