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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday cautioned opposition leaders and activists against complacency regarding US sanctions on former Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed.
Speaking at a discussion, he urged the BNP followers to focus on unseating the Awami League government through their own efforts rather than relying on others.
“If I can’t manage my own house, no one else will do it for me. Many may be happy over the sanctions on Aziz...I think it’s misleading and we’re always getting confused,” Fakhrul said.
He recalled that the US also imposed sanctions earlier on RAB and the officers of the elite force and the police but it could not stop the ‘terrible journey’ of the current regime.
“We have to stand on our own feet, stand with our own strength and defeat them with our own strength,” he said.
A faction of Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) marking the seventh death anniversary of the party founder Shafiul Alam Prodhan.
The US Department of State on Monday imposed sanctions on Aziz Ahmed and his immediate family members due to “his involvement in significant corruption”.
Fakhrul said BNP and the entire world have long been saying that the government has been deeply mired in corruption. “They deny it and claim they don’t indulge in corruption. Now, you see today’s news that the US has imposed sanctions on former Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed along with his family.”
He said the reasons behind the sanctions on Aziz involve indulging in corruption, influencing democratic institutions, and eroding people’s trust. “This is what we’ve been trying to say for a long time.”
The BNP leader accused the government of committing various misdeeds one after another by using the state machinery.
He also alleged that the government has created a reign of terror and spread fear with its efforts to use the military, the judiciary and the administration.
Even, the BNP leader said journalists now cannot write reports freely as they have to think carefully about every word they choose, fearing jail or lawsuits. “This is the current situation of the country.”
He said many times it is wrongly interpreted that the BNP wants to engage in ousting the government. “We want to get back the right to vote, and through that votes, we will defeat you (govt). All of us must be willing to make more sacrifices to have that right restored.”
Fakhrul called upon the opposition leaders and workers to be united further to take to the streets against the government. “There is no alternative to taking to the streets. We don’t know any other path. We must come forward openly and fight (against the govt).”
Stating that BNP is not a radical or revolutionary party, he said their party, as a liberal democratic one, must create such an atmosphere where the government will not be able to block a free, fair and credible election. “No one else will do that for us...we have to achieve that ourselves.” We must be more united in demanding fair and impartial elections, and we must intensify the movement.”
The BNP leader said their party has been working with its alliance partners to work out the strategy of their movement and strengthen their strength to get rid of the current monstrous regime.