‘Don’t die before death’

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today called upon the party men to be vocal and active for restoring the country’s “destroyed democracy” and eliminating injustice.

“We should not die before our death. Don’t get panicked, the countrymen are with you (BNP men),” the BNP leader said at a programme at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka this noon.

He alleged that the 11th parliament lacks legitimacy as its lawmakers were not elected with people’s mandates.

“The current parliament doesn’t have the moral legitimacy to go into session since they (MPs) were not elected by people. It’s a farce and cruel mockery with the nation in the name of an election,” Fakhrul said.

The veteran politician was speaking at a seminar on ‘Violence and Women: Present Perspective’ arranged by a newly launched women’s organisation ‘Awaj’. Dr Shahida Rafique, a professor of Dhaka University, presented the keynote paper at the programme.

“The current parliament will not discuss issues of the ongoing repression against women in the country as people belonging to the ruling party are indulging in such acts,” Fakhrul alleged.

Claiming that the ruling Awami League has pushed the country towards destruction with its efforts to cling on to power by any means, he said “Awami League has deliberately used all the state institutions to return to power through the election, destroying the democratic characteristics of the country.”

“Nothing can be more dangerous than this,” he added.