BNP renews call for Khaleda’s unconditional release

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday renewed their party's demand for the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia for the sake of democracy.

Speaking at a doa mahfil at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he also said Khaleda Zia and democracy are inseparably linked.

"She struggled to restore democracy throughout her life. She has now been kept under house arrest by the fascist Awami League government due to her efforts to restore democracy. So, our first condition is that she be released unconditionally," the BNP leader said.

He said Khaleda is not an ordinary leader as she has become an institution with her continuous struggle for democracy, emancipation and the wellbeing of people by sacrificing the happiness of her earthly life.

Fakhrul wised Khaleda a long life on the occasion of her birthday. "We pray to Allah for her recovery so that can return to us lead us in the days to come."

As part of BNP's countrywide programme, its Dhaka north and south city units organised the doa mahfil, marking the 77th birthday of Khaleda.

According to BNP's website, Khaleda Zia was born to Iskandar Majumder and Taiyaba Majumder on August 15, 1945, in Dinajpur district.

Fakhrul accused the Awami League government of 'usurping' power illegally, he said it has destroyed all the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh by resorting to repressive acts like Pakistani occupation forces.

"They have continued their fascist rule for 15 long years using the state machinery and unleashing a reign of terror through oppression," he observed.

The BNP leader said Khaleda Zia was convicted in 'false' and 'baseless' cases while false cases were filed against 35 lakh people. "Our more than 600 leaders and workers have been subjected to enforced disappearance and over 1,000 other leaders and workers have been killed."

He also said Chhatra Dal leader Noor-e-Alam and Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim have recently been killed in police firing in Bhola. "Our leader and activists are being arrested and implicated in false cases every day."

Referring to a recent report of Netra News on the horrific experiences of the enforced disappearance victims, Fakhrul said Amnesty International has strongly denounced the human rights violations by issuing a statement and urged the visiting UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet to take steps for an independent and impartial inquiry into these 'barbaric' practices.

"There is no reason to take the matter lightly. Many of our brothers were made disappeared and we did not get many of them back. Our over 600 leaders and activists have been made disappeared and tortured. From this programme, we demand that an impartial committee of the UN be formed to look into the matter and take action against those responsible," he said.

The BNP leader said the current government has lost ground under its feet as the country's people are not with them. "But we know this regime won't t go easily. That is why we want to mobilise people and all the political forces to remove this government,"