Will strike while the iron is hot: Mirza Fakrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the BNP is a democratic party currently fighting a ‘fascist power’.

“We are a democratic party, but we are fighting a fascist power,” he said.

“Over a thousand of our activists have been killed by police fire in a year. Over 500 have disappeared and thousands have been crippled.”

He also said that his party will strike while the iron is hot hinting that BNP will take to the streets to protest against the government ‘anomalies’.

His remarks came at a discussion on Saturday in response to Awami League's comments doubting the party's capacity to launch a political movement. 

“All over the country being a BNP activist means criminals. Being a BNP activist means standing in the docks or being imprisoned. Being part of BNP means worrying about being murdered in the dead of night or fleeing your home for safety.”

But the BNP will live on, said Mirza Fakhrul. “Despite all this, not a single BNP activist has been swayed. They could not buy a single one of us. We remain strong.”

He urged BNP activists to look to the party’s founder Ziaur Rahman for inspiration and follow the example of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

“She has lost her husband,” he said. “She has lost a son. Another is in exile. She has been evicted from her home, and now she must appear before the court every week to answer false charges.”

Fakrul said “Protest is a scientific matter, a matter of strategy and invention,” adding “Politics cannot be static, it has a rhythm. Sometimes our situation is good sometimes it's bad.”

The BNP had always taken to the streets when necessary, he claimed. "We will do so again. One thing remains true: We are committed and we will fight to the last.”

Mirza Fakhrul admitted the BNP was going through a difficult period, but blamed it on government persecution.