BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman has called upon people from all walks of life to get united to save Bangladesh’s besieged democracy. The country is now under the grip of the cohorts of 1971 occupation forces, he said.
“Democracy in Bangladesh is now under siege. People from all strata, including educationists, researchers, poets and journalists, alongside political activists will have to come forward together for saving democracy,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks on the concluding day of an eight-day ‘Concert for Democracy in Bangladesh’ programme in London on Tuesday arranged by the local unit of BNP’s cultural wing Jasas, marking the 44th Victory Day, according to a message received here on Wednesday.Terming educationists, researchers, artistes and journalists the torchbearers of society, Tarique said if they remain silent at his bad state of the country in fear of the ruling evil forces’ attacks and indecent remarks, their conscience will freak them in the days to come.
Though Bangladesh had been freed from the occupation forces and enemies in 1971, the country is now again under the grasp of their collaborators, he alleged.
Mentioning that people had shattered the desire of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan by liberating the country through a tough struggle, Tarique said Sheikh Hasina’s intention to remain as an illegal Prime Minister will also be dashed if people get united and wage a strong movement.
He expressed his strong belief that the people in their struggle for restoring democracy will surely be successful.
BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Jasas general secretary Monir Khan and London unit BNP president Shayesta Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the programme.
Tarique, the eldest son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and current chief Khaleda Zia, has been living in London since 2008. He was arrested on March 7, 2007 during the then army-backed interim regime and freed from jail on bail on September 3, 2008.
He left for London for treatment eight days later. He is an accused in a number of cases, including the August 21 grenade attack ones. – UNB
