Deeply saddened for Mirza Fakhrul: Press Secretary

Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser, has expressed deep sadness over BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in an emotional Facebook post following the burial of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

Shafiqul Alam shared his feelings in the post on Wednesday night (December 31), saying he had been feeling “deeply saddened” for Mirza Fakhrul since the previous day.

In the post, he wrote that Mirza Fakhrul has long been one of his political inspirations. Recalling his experience as a journalist, Shafiqul Alam said he had closely observed the hardships Mirza Fakhrul endured over the years and how he stood by party activists “like his own children.”

He noted that following the death of Begum Khaleda Zia, Mirza Fakhrul appears extremely lonely. According to Shafiqul Alam, the two leaders together represented a dignified and dependable partnership in the country’s political history, marked by empathy, patience and restraint. Even during difficult times, he said, they guided the public with humility.

The press secretary also expressed concern about the BNP secretary general’s health, writing that Mirza Fakhrul’s physical condition has deteriorated in recent months. He added that the veteran leader is no longer the same energetic figure who once travelled extensively across the country.

Shafiqul Alam further recalled that when Khaleda Zia appointed Mirza Fakhrul as BNP secretary general, he was a mid-level leader known for his centre-left ideological leanings. Despite that, he said, Mirza Fakhrul proved himself to be a capable leader during times of crisis, keeping the party united and steadfast while standing beside Khaleda Zia.

Referring to recent events, Shafiqul Alam wrote that by the time July arrived, Khaleda Zia was on her deathbed and Mirza Fakhrul himself had lost much of his physical strength, calling it “the end of an era.”