The leaders and activists of the two opposing sides carried out programs on the political streets after breaking the long relaxation at the same time on the same day. The ruling Awami League (AL) and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) held a rally in front of their party office. On the occasion of the 75th founding anniversary of the AL, the party held a discussion in front of its office. Similarly, BNP held a rally in front of the party's central office at Nayapaltan in the capital demanding the release of the party chairperson. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader addressed the rally as the chief guest.
It's ok for movement but violence won't be tolerated
AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said AL is the leading party in establishing the right to vote and food for the people of Bangladesh. The party is 75 years old now. AL is the name of moving forward with long struggle, movement, storm, darkness and autocracy.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organized in front of the central office of AL on the occasion of the party's 75th founding anniversary yesterday.
Obaidul Quader said, we sing the victory song of life standing in the procession of death. We stand on the rubble and fly the flag of creation. Our roots are very deep in the soil of Bangladesh. We are born among the people. We are not a party that grabbed power at the end of the night by raising arms. We fought the liberation war with the people under the leadership of Bangabandhu. We said we will celebrate throughout the year ahead of our anniversary. Yesterday (Friday) we held a cycle rally, did BNP have anything? Then why are they (BNP) making this slander against AL that we hold program with BNP?
Talking about BNP, Obaidul Quader said, "BNP talks big. Their movement is fake. Tarique Rahman is now the name of terror. At midnight the decree came from across the River Thames. One went, the other came, the midnight decree. Where do Fakhrul Islam and Gayeshwar Babu go in this decree of Tarique Rahman? No one knows."
Made in London declares the program sitting in London. New leadership is sent in the form of a decree. Sitting in London, they make leaders and give programs. What does this Made in London programme mean? Does anyone understand this program? I want to make it clear, holds movement but if violence are added that won’t be tolerated, added the minister.
He also said the game will be played, it will not be given up. The game will be played against corruption, the game will be played against communalism. I will deal with everything from the field. Leaders and activists will have to prepare against corruption and communalism from the field.
Responding to the comments of BNP leaders on Bangladesh-India relations, the AL general secretary also said, "Have you forgotten what slavery and lease are? The Indian High Commission office was closed in the morning after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power for the first time, BNP leaders took garlands in front of the office. He wanted to broker, but he couldn't. Nanda Ghosh did not care, and Nanda Ghosh was to blame. We are friends, we will remain friends."
The road transport and bridges minister said, "We are friends of all abroad. We don't have God, you do. I remember, in words, the ban-visa policy, the drama Joj Mia. Dressed as a friend of Biden, Arefi is being brought to the forefront of reporters. It turned out that Biden's friend was fake. At that time, the meeting place was filled with fake slogans of the leaders and activists."
Warning the AL leaders and activists, he said, "No one will exaggerate. No one will show power. No one will be forgiven. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes in the principle of zero-tolerance."
AL Presidium Members Abdur Razzak, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Qamrul Islam, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, Central Working Committee Members Shahabuddin Farazi and Sayeed Khokan, among others, were present at the meeting.
Dire costs wait for govt if Khaleda Zia not released
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned that the government will face dire consequences if its chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia is not released.
He came up with the warning while addressing a rally in front of the party's central office at Nayapaltan in the capital yesterday.
Mirza Fakhrul said democracy cannot be imagined without Khaleda Zia. She was unjustly imprisoned for six years. If she is not released, dire consequences await the government.
He said to the leaders and activists, do not die in fear, fight with courage. To make a change, young people have to come forward. Terming AL an occupation government, the BNP leader said they (AL) destroyed the country's political structure and democracy. We have to launch a strong movement to oust this government.
Mirza Fakhrul said, today the working class are struggling to buy rice-pulses, oil. No one gets proper treatment. But the ruling party men are looting and siphoning off money abroad. A former army chief was involved in the looting. He is involved in the destruction of democracy in the country. Today, the former police chief is involved in corruption. NBR officials are involved in corruption. There are many more, but these people are not caught.
Khaleda Zia is the symbol of our democracy and movement. To save her and restore democracy, all have to be united. I would like to tell other political parties that let's get united to fight for Khaleda Zia's release. The future of the country is in the hands of the youth. Our acting chairman Tarique Rahman is trying hard. He has been grossly wronged. He has been deported by convicting him in a false case, he added.
The BNP secretary general said the government has signed an anti-national agreement with India. We want water, we want a share of water from common rivers. Today, Sheikh Hasina has given everything to India. The people of Bangladesh got nothing in return. Rather, they received hatred and their (people's) wealth was looted. The AL government in power means destroying the country. So to protect ourselves, we have to intensify the movement.
Mirza Fakhrul said Khaleda Zia is the first woman freedom fighter of the country. In 1981, she took up the flag of the Nationalist Party and the flag of independence and democracy. She fought against autocracy on the streets for nine years. She led the march on foot. She has been arrested. But she never gave up. Rather, he defeated the autocracy with the student community. Democracy in Bangladesh means Begum Khaleda Zia. She was elected by a huge margin in 1990 and made tremendous development as the Prime Minister.
Khaleda Zia was imprisoned on February 8, 2018 after being convicted in a false case. Earlier, at a meeting of the BNP's executive committee, he said, "There is a conspiracy to arrest me. Attempts are being made to suppress the democratic movement. But you won't stop. The movement for democracy will continue. That movement is still going on. Many have sacrificed a lot. False cases have been filed against 60 lakh people. More than 700 people have been killed. Thousands of people have been extrajudicially killed. About 4,000 leaders and activists have been convicted in false cases. Many leaders and activists have been imprisoned. This sacrifice will be written in golden letters in the history of Bangladesh.
Indian Railways will not be allowed to run within the country: Faruk
BNP Chairperson's Adviser Zainul Abedin Faruk said that Indian rail will not be allowed to run through Bangladesh. He said that the railway of India will never be allowed to run by making a corridor through Bangladesh. At the same time, Indian ships will not be allowed to enter the Mongla port. Faruk said AL is in power with the blessings of India ignoring public opinion. And now Sheikh Hasina's government is fulfilling all the demands of India one by one. He said these at the same rally held in Nayapaltan yesterday.
The movement would have been successful if the leaders had entered the field on time: Mirza Abbas
Mirza Abbas, a member of the National Standing Committee of BNP and former mayor of Dhaka, said, "The movement would have been successful if the leaders had entered the field on time." He made this comment at the party rally held in Nayapaltan yesterday.
Under the chairmanship of Mirza Abbas and moderated by Publicity Secretary Sultan Salauddin Tuku, standing committee members Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Begum Selima Rahman, Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu, Mo Shahjahan, Dr Zahid Hossain, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Ahmed Azam Khan, Advisor to Chairperson Dr Farhad Halim, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohail, Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Ani, Advocate Abdus Salam Azad, Syed Imran Saleh Prince, Organizing Secretary Kazi Syedul Alam Babul, Commerce Affairs Secretary Salauddin Ahmed, Special Assistant to Chairperson Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Shirin Sultana, Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP Former Member Secretary Rafiqul Alam Majnu, North BNP Former Member Secretary Aminul Haque, Mahila Dal President Afroza Abbas, Volunteer Dal President SM Jilani, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nashir Uddin Nashir and many others also spoke in the rally.
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