News BD: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir delivered the keynote speech as the chief guest at the golden jubilee celebration of the Economics Department of Dinajpur Government College on Friday morning.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “Our democratic struggle has ended. Yet, we are still failing in creating the path to build the nation with unity.”

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He came up with these remarks as the chief guest in the golden jubilee and tribute ceremony of the Economics Department of Dinajpur Government College on Friday morning.

The programme was presided over by the head of the Economics Department Jaheda Parveen. Among others, AKM Al Abdullah, Principal, Dinajpur Government College; ANM Golam Rabbani, former Principal of Thakurgaon Government College; Abdul Jabbar, former Principal of Dinajpur Government Women’s College and Abdur Rahman, former Principal of Pirganj Government College spoke on the occasion.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “We, who are involved in politics despite 53 years, have failed to make Bangladesh a happy, peaceful, and harmonious nation. We suffer from narrow-mindedness in politics and have reached the lowest point of morality. We could not take pride in being a glorious nation until recently. Now, hope has been reignited, and we have started dreaming again. We dream of a prosperous, democratic Bangladesh, a gay, loving Bangladesh- built as envisaged by the proclaimer of independence, Ziaur Rahman. The democratic struggle is over, yet we are failing to chart the ways to build the nation with unity.

He came up with the thoughts as the chief guest at the golden jubilee and tribute ceremony of the Economics Department of Dinajpur Government College on Friday morning.

The BNP Secretary General further said, “We talk about democracy but do not practice it. We couldn’t vote for 15 years. What kind of democracy is it where people lose the opportunity to exercise their rights? There have been a series of destructions of democracy one after another in Bangladesh. Hence, democratic institutions were not formed here. Several political parties fought among themselves. In fact, if we progress with democratic exercising enfolded with tolerance only, then real democracy will come; and we would receive our due rights.

Mirza Fakhrul pointed at the new possibilities in this country: “Today, there is an opportunity. Our youths, political workers have sacrificed their lives and undergone long and inhuman torture. More than 800 of our leaders and activists have been subjected to enforced disappearance, and false cases filed against more than 6 million of our leaders and activists. We have gone through such a bad experience. Now there are new possibilities for us. Still, somehow, we are not able to overcome our narrow-mindedness. I call upon everyone concerned to forge unity, rise beyond narrowness, and determine an explicit and honest course of action. Let us implement that dream we vowed for.

Saying this, he praised the youth: “I see, while seeking to build a new Bangladesh, the youth are seeking suggestions from university-going students. While listening to them, it seems as though our boys and girls are extremely capable. They speak with words of patriotism and change. They can show us an actual way to build Bangladesh. We cannot think negatively, so we have to bring tolerance and mutual respect in our relations. Whatever political views we may hold, if patriotism and love for the country exist, we have to seize this opportunity.”

The BNP Secretary-General criticized the past Awami League government and said, “The resources of the country have been plundered and smuggled abroad. In fact, every year, $16 billion has been siphoned off, amounting to over $280 billion in the last 15 years. These are our own people who entered politics promising to serve the nation but established fascism. They took control of all powers and institutions, creating a climate of fear in the country. We have come out of that situation and will now transform Bangladesh into a democratic state.”

About the responsibilities of the students, Fakhrul said, “The Bangladeshi economy is now suffering from severe crises and disasters. The fascist government ruined the economy over 15 years. Policies to rejuvenate the economy must come out from among you. Future policymakers and economists will come from your rank to work toward placing Bangladesh’s economy on the right track. That is my expectation.”.

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