Dhaka, Mar 24 – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said it is a matter of shame as Bangladesh has been enlisted as ‘one of five new autocratic countries’ by a German-based institution.“BBC online has published a report based on the findings of a German-based institution that Bangladesh is one of five low-ranking countries where autocracy emerged eliminating democracy,” he said.
Speaking at a press beefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Fakhrul further said, “As Bangladeshi citizens and those of us who fought for democracy and earned the country’s independence feel ashamed of seeing the study findings.”
Mentioning that their party has long been saying democracy is absent in Bangladesh, he said their assertion has been proved right and recognised through the study. “The government has now taken the country to such a stage with its despotic rule.”
German-based organisation Bertelsmann Stiftung in its report released on Friday said five countries –– Bangladesh, Lebanon, Mozambique, Nicaragua and Uganda –– ‘no longer meet the minimum standards for democracy.
“These countries, where democracy has been gradually undermined for years, are under autocratic rule….,” said Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index report 2018.
Fakhrul said their party has formed 37 teams, comprising senior leaders, to visit the its 78 organizational districts to intensify their movement for having their party chief Khaleda Zia released from jail and take opinions of the party grassroots followers about the country’s political situations.
He said the teams will complete their visits by April 20.
About their party’s plan for holding a public rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on March 29, the BNP leader said their party is going to send a letter to the Home Minister requesting him to allow them for holding the programme.
He deplored that HM Ershad, who grabbed power on this day (March 24) ousting an elected government, was allowed to hold a rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan. “On the other hand, BNP which struggled against autocrat (Ershad) has not been given permission for a long time to hold a rally at the same venue.”
Fakhrul said they’ve completed all the necessary preparations to stage the rally. “We’re sending a letter to the Home Minister today (Sunday) in this regard.”
He said their party’s a delegation, led by standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, is set to meet the Home Minister and hand over the letter to him. – UNB
