BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today underscored the need for a national unity to keep the integrity of country’s independence and democracy.

“A certain local and foreign group is still hatching conspiracy to destroy our heard earned independence, sovereignty and democracy,” Khaleda observed in a message floated for the occasion Independence Day.

“A national unity is needed to protect the country from their clutch,” she said.

The countrymen fought valiantly in the War of Independence in 1971to build a democratic country free from misrule and exploitation, Khaleda said.

“But, we cannot achieve the goal as fascist and autocratic forces have created hindrances in many ways,” the BNP chief said.

“Our democratic journey and efforts to gain economic progress have been affected. Our sovereignty has also been weakened due to the local and foreign level conspiracy,” she said.

Khaleda Zia said an effort is still being hatched to turn the country into a puppet state.

“We, all the countrymen will have to remain alert to to keep our country well protected from such conspiracy,” she added.