It’s time to say goodbye: Fakhrul says farewell to BNP

Former BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir posted an emotional farewell message late Wednesday night (August 19), hours before Thursday’s presidential election in which he is contesting as the party’s candidate.

In a post on his verified Facebook page, Fakhrul wrote that it was time for him to take leave of party leaders and activists.

“Today is the time to say a final goodbye to you. For the last time, I am saying goodbye with ‘Long Live Bangladesh Nationalist Party’,” he wrote, signing off as “your faithful Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.”

The message came after an emotional BNP parliamentary party meeting at Parliament on Wednesday, where Fakhrul reportedly broke down several times while addressing lawmakers.

He became particularly emotional while recalling the late BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and expressed gratitude to the party and its former leader for their roles in his political journey. Lawmakers present at the meeting comforted him, while Fakhrul sought their prayers and urged them to support his presidential bid.

The meeting, chaired by BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, also discussed the presidential election.

Fakhrul stepped down as an MP, minister and BNP secretary general on August 13 after the party finalised his nomination for the presidency. His appearance at Wednesday’s meeting therefore marked one of his final formal engagements with the party’s top leadership as its secretary general.

Fakhrul is the frontrunner in Thursday’s presidential race, with the BNP holding 247 seats in the 349-member electoral college. His rival is LDP Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, who is backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance.

Bangladesh is set to hold its first contested presidential election in 35 years on Thursday, with lawmakers scheduled to vote from 2pm to 5pm at Parliament.