BNP sees its struggle for Khaleda’s freedom as a big test for nation

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir says his party's ‘struggle’ for the release of Khaleda Zia is a ‘big test for the entire nation’.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 Feb 2018, 05:04 PM
Updated : 23 Feb 2018, 05:17 PM

“Now is the time for a big test. The nation has never faced such a huge test before,” Mirza Fakhrul said at a discussion in Dhaka on Friday.

“The struggle we are enduring now is not a struggle of the BNP, not for the release of Khaleda Zia, but for saving the country, democracy and independence,” he added.

Mirza Fakhrul claimed the BNP was ‘stronger’ now than it was anytime before.

“They (government) had expected that the BNP would split if they confined our leader. But we firmly say that the BNP has not split, rather has become stronger,” he said.

He claimed the BNP was more united now with Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman heading the party from London in the absence of his mother.

A special court on Feb 8 sentenced Khaleda to five years in jail while Tarique and four others got 10 years each for embezzling Tk 21 million in Zia Orphanage Trust.

“We will free Khaleda and democracy through a democratic movement together,” he said.

The BNP has announced a demonstration carrying black flags in front of the party’s Naya Paltan office at 11am on Saturday.