How Benazir left country, Fakhrul seeks to know
FE REPORT | Sunday, 2 June 2024
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday raised the question to the government how former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed left the country despite allegations of corruption against him.
"The government has cheated the people. The Awami League (AL) government has created so many Benazir and Aziz Ahmed (former army chief). They (ruling party) created an empire of looting. We must establish a pro-people government through struggle and fighting," said the BNP secretary general.
He was addressing a discussion marking the 43rd death anniversary of former President and the party's founder Ziaur Rahman at the National Press Club in the city.
Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad organised the event.
"Pakistan was not created in a single day. Bangladesh was not created in a day. We had to struggle for long 25 years for the independence of Bangladesh," he said while elaborating the outcome of their ongoing anti-government movement.
"We have struggled just for 15 years (regarding present anti-government movement). There is a reason to believe that we (BNP) failed," he continued.
He said during their ongoing anti-government movement several thousand party leaders and activists died and cases were filed against six million party leaders, activists and supporters by the government.
"This struggle (anti-government) is not an ordinary struggle, rather it is a democratic struggle against fascism," he said.
"We regularly go to jail and come out; yes we are yet to get our success. However, success doesn't happen in one day. Khaleda Zia is still behind the bar. We are yet to free her. Our struggle has not stopped. Our struggle will continue until victory. And we haven't shifted our position from that goal (victory)," he maintained.
"BNP is a big and strong party. BNP has its own research cell. I call upon BNP-minded intellectuals and professionals to come forward. BNP is struggling to establish democratic system in the country by ousting the fascist government," he said.
Mr Fakhrul further said they did not retreat from their ongoing anti-government movement.
"We must achieve victory, we must succeed. BNP will not move away from its goal. But sometimes our strategy may be changed," he added.
The event was presided over by Dr A Z M Zahid Hossain and moderated by journalist Qader Gani Chowdhury.
It is leant that former IGP Benazir Ahmed, his wife and three daughters left the capital for Singapore on May 4 for medical checkup of his wife.