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“There is no alternative to democracy and it can’t be imposed,” he says
Published : 20 Apr 2025, 12:43 AM
BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who earlier said the responsibility for shaping the country’s future lies with its people, has said neither Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, nor Narendra Modi can come and do anything about it.
He said this while highlighting the current situation in Bangladesh at a discussion programme on Saturday.
The BNP secretary general said, “Democracy cannot be imposed. There is no alternative to it.
“Democracy must be practised. The country is ours, no one from abroad can come and build its future.
“Trump from America won’t build it, nor will Xi from China.
“Modi from India won’t be able to do anything by force either. We have to take this to heart.”
Expressing trust in the current interim government, Fakhrul said: “I thank Prof Muhammad Yunus for taking on the responsibility, and I believe he will succeed.
“I firmly believe the outcome of so much bloodshed will be very good.
“We, the people of Bangladesh, have always struggled, fought, and won. Whatever good Bangladesh has achieved today is all because of our youth.
“The youth played the vanguard role in all the movements from 1952 to 2024. Our strength lies in those marginalised people.”
US TARIFFS
On Apr 2, US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on goods from more than 100 countries, and Bangladeshi exports will face a 37 percent additional tariff when they enter the United States.
However, a week later, the Trump administration suspended the counter-tariffs imposed on all countries except China for 90 days.
Referring to this, the BNP leader said: “America has imposed tariffs and if this is not resolved promptly, we will face greater danger.
“If we can bring this class of people [farmers] forward, give them work, and different technologies, then we will be able to overcome these problems.”
The discussion titled “Empowering Bangladesh: Leadership, Unity and the Path to Growth” was held at the North South University in Dhaka, a joint initiative of Empowerment Bangladesh and the Department of History and Philosophy of North South University.
