BNP to form Govt with street movement allies: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said BNP will form the government together with those who had jointly carried out simultaneous street movements in the past. "We have always remained steadfast to our commitments. We had said that we would contest the election with those with whom we carried out simultaneous movements on the streets in the past days, and we will form the government with them," he said. He made the remarks while exchanging views with journalists following the election at his residence at Kalibari here in the district town this morning.

Referring to BNP's unprecedented victory in the election, the BNP Secretary General said the victory should be evaluated in a way as BNP is the most popular political party in Bangladesh. Since Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman founded the party, BNP has never lost its popularity as it has always remained with the people and practiced  people-oriented politics, which he said is the party's greatest political strength.

He said BNP is never a cadre-based political party but a people-based political party. With the character of such a party, BNP has always worked for the people both in and outside the government, he said, adding that the party's manifesto, vision, state reform proposals, demands and points were accepted by the people, which resulted in today's landslide victory. Replying to a question from journalists on the rise of Jamaat-e-Islami, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the rise was a consequence of 15 years of fascist rule. He added, "It is a science and a philosophy of political science that whenever democracy is suppressed and its voice is stifled, extremist forces raise their heads." 

He continued, "The rise of Jamaat today has happened because of Awami League's repression, not allowing opposition parties to work or contest elections." The BNP Secretary General further said people have already rejected them and BNP has secured a two-thirds majority. "I am highly confident that the people of Bangladesh will again be able to resist all ill tendencies through honest and welfare-oriented politics in this country," he added. District BNP General Secretary Poygam Ali, leaders at different levels and journalists from print and electronic media were present on the occasion.