Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the government wants to work together with the opposition to address any political crisis, including the implementation of the July Charter.
“The opposition must play a strong role in making democracy function effectively. But unfortunately, the opposition has started speaking the language of the Awami League,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul, also BNP Secretary General, made the remarks while addressing, as the chief guest, a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the National Press Club on the occasion of the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, MP attended the programme as the special guest.
Mirza Fakhrul said many people had joined movements under the leadership of late former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia to establish democracy in the country, sacrificing their lives, losing their eyesight and becoming permanently disabled.
He said fascism had been ousted through immense sacrifices and BNP, as a liberal democratic party, honours the sacrifices of leaders and activists of all political parties irrespective of their affiliations.
He said 125,000 false cases had been filed against lakhs of BNP leaders and activists during the struggle to establish democracy.
Party leaders and activists had been detained in jail without trial, while 20,000 leaders and activists, including Ilias Ali, had been subjected to enforced disappearance and killing, he said.
He added that Begum Khaleda Zia had been kept imprisoned for a long time in false cases, while the current Prime Minister had remained in exile for 18 years.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the longstanding movement achieved its final victory in July 2024 when fascist Hasina was ousted from power, adding that the sacrifices made in July had created the opportunity to elect a democratic government.