Online Desk: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday called upon the people, especially the youth, to strengthen their fight for establishing democracy and voting rights.

He said this at a discussion meeting organised by BNP on the occasion of the Independence Day at the Engineers Institute auditorium.

He said that the only duty of BNP is now to make people aware of their rights and mobilise them in the struggle for establishing democracy in the country.

Mirza Fakhrul said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman restored multi-party democracy in the country, while the party’s current chairperson Khaleda Zia fought against an autocratic regime for nine years and established democracy in the country.

He said we have been fighting against a fascist regime for the last 15 years, and during this period about 22 BNP leaders and activists killed, 60,000 were charged with false cases.

The opposition leader said the ruling AL has established not only a fascist regime but apartheid too in the country. They have demolished houses of BNP leaders and activists who are now fleeing from one place to another. They destroyed the businesses of BNP leaders and activists.

Fakhrul also alleged that many young people are not getting government jobs as they are being identified as children of BNP leaders and activists.

He accused the AL government of creating divisions among the people along the political lines. To them some belong to BNP and some others to AL, he said.

The ruling AL is distorting the history of the country’s independence as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy. AL has always acted against democracy though they speak loudly in the favor of democracy.  AL had established one-party BaKSAL (The Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League) in the country, he said.

The AL is once again going to establish one-party rule in the country following same way by destroying all democratic institutions, he alleged.

Those who fought against Pakistan in 1971 had only one motto to establishe democracy in the country, Fakhrul said.

After independence AL had destroyed the nation’s dream by forming BaKSAL and now they are also doing same thing, Fakhrul said.

He said the AL government did little for the country’s economic development in the last 15 years. They have rather used the electoral system to ascend to power denying people’s right to vote.

The BNP leader said AL government uses the state apparatus to stifle the voices of democracy.

There is not a single institution which has not been destroyed by AL. They made it through appointing AL people everywhere, he claimed.

Mirza Fakhrul said there is no alternative to struggle for establishing democracy in the country.

He urged the BNP leaders and activists to fight against the autocrats for bringintg back democracy.

BNP standing committee members, senior leaders and other associate bodies’ leaders also spoke on the occasion.