The biggest challenge for BNP is to ensure that the national elections in February are conducted fairly, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after laying a wreath at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Fakhrul said, "The challenge before us now is to give all possible support so that the February elections can be held fairly."
On political reforms, he added, "BNP fully supports the reform proposals made by the reform commissions. We have also taken steps to bring a full change in Bangladeshi politics through our 31-point program."
Expressing hope for the future, Fakhrul said, "If BNP gets the responsibility of running the country with people's support, then under the leadership of our acting chairman Tarique Rahman, BNP will bring both political and economic changes, and move Bangladesh forward."
Marking BNP's 47th founding anniversary, Fakhrul visited Ziaur Rahman's grave at 11 am along with party leaders and workers. They laid a wreath and offered prayers for Zia's soul.
Talking about Ziaur Rahman's contributions, Fakhrul said, "The core ideology of BNP is Bangladeshi nationalism, which brought a fundamental change in the country's politics. In a short time, Zia ensured media freedom, people's basic rights, independence of the judiciary, and introduced a free market economy, which brought major changes to the economy."
He also accused the previous government of oppression: "For 15 years, BNP leaders and activists faced torture.
Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman led this struggle for eight years from exile. False cases were filed against about 6 million people, around 20,000 were killed, 1,700 leaders and activists were disappeared or murdered, and an extreme fascism was established to wipe out BNP."
Fakhrul added, "By the mercy of Allah, through the people's movement and students' movement, we were able to remove that terrible Hasina and end fascism."
BNP leaders present at the occasion included Standing Committee member Salah Uddin Ahmed, Advisory Council member Aman Ullah Aman, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Abdus Salam Azad, central leader Mir Sarafat Ali Sapu, Saiful Alam Nirab, North City BNP leader Aminul Haque, South City BNP leader Tanvir Ahmed Robin, and leaders of other party organisations.
