BNP to stand by innocent Awami League supporters: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the party will stand by innocent supporters of the Awami League.

He made the remarks on Wednesday afternoon while addressing a street rally at Molani Bazar in his constituency Thakurgaon-1.

Mirza Fakhrul said, “This time there is no boat, the boat has fled, Hasina has gone to India. In between, she has left her supporters in trouble. We are standing by them in that difficult time.”

He said, “We are clearly telling our Hindu brothers and sisters not to worry, we are by your side. Only those who have committed wrongdoing will be punished. Those who have not done anything wrong, ordinary people, we will keep them close to our hearts and protect them.”

Referring to BNP’s resistance call during the 2014 election, he said people of the area had suffered greatly in the presiding officer murder case. “In severe cold, day after day and night after night, you had to stay in paddy fields. There were many complications, which were later resolved through the courts,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul said that although people are now living more comfortably than before, they are not fully at ease due to rising prices of essentials. However, he felt the law and order situation has improved compared to the past. “Overall, we have reached a time when we can sleep peacefully at night,” he said.

He added, “If by Allah’s will the election is held properly and we can vote freely and elect a government, we hope we will live well.”

Mentioning his age and that this would be his last election, Mirza Fakhrul said, “In this final vote, please support me.”

He said voters must decide on February 12 what they want. “If you want peace, development, schools and colleges, roads, and jobs for your children, then you must vote for the tested party and the tested person.”

Referring to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, he said, “I read in the newspapers today that the party which formed the government with us in 2001, which even had two ministers, Nizami and Mujahid, is now saying we were corrupt. Were you Yudhishthira, the son of righteousness? You were also in the government, so you must also bear that responsibility.”

Stating that BNP did not engage in corruption, he said the party moved the country forward at that time. “There were 1.5 million female garment workers, and free education up to HSC level for girls was introduced, enabling them to pursue higher education,” he added.