Government is on its last legs, says BNP's Mirza Fakhrul

BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir believes the end is near for the ruling Awami League government.

“The farewell bell for the government has begun to toll. The other day Khanadaker Mosharraf Hossain said that she (Sheikh Hasina) inaugurated a cricket match by ringing a bell; now the farewell bell for the government is being heard everywhere,” he said in a discussion meeting at the National Press Club on Friday.

According to the BNP secretary general, the government has brought about its own downfall through its failures.

“I urge the government to refrain from false propaganda. Stop talking about the agricultural sector, or the economic growth. Today, onion and salt prices are escalating and you failed to contain it.”

Marginal farmers are being deprived of a fair price for their produce, said Fakhrul.

“I came back from Thakurgaon the other day and a maund of paddy is being sold for Tk 550 which takes Tk 650-750 for a farmer to produce. The sufferings of the farmers are unbelievable.”

Under the circumstances, the BNP leader urged the people unite in order to alleviate the situation.

“The government which is acting like a monster and destroying all of our achievements must be forced to leave.”

“Many people have tried to break the BNP since its inception; Ershad tried it too but failed. They (Awami League) have been trying to do it for the last 10 years but couldn’t move a single person out of it. They won’t ever able to do that,” said Fakhrul in reply to Awami League Secretary General Obaidul Quader’s remark that the BNP will fall apart.   

Fakhrul highlighted Ziaur Rahman’s contributions to the development of the agricultural sector along with the different initiatives taken by the BNP government led by Khaleda Zia and the vision of Acting BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman.

BNP ‘SATISFIED’ WITH HOLEY ARTISAN VERDICT

Fakhrul also expressed satisfaction with the verdict of the special anti-terrorism tribunal which sentenced seven militants to death for their roles in the gruesome terror attack on Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery in 2016.

“We’re satisfied with the Holey Artisan verdict,” said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. “We hope to prevent such incidents in future.”

The BNP secretary general cited a different reason behind the emergence of terrorism in the country.

“The problem lies in some other part. Such opportunities come up when people can’t speak up, when they lose their democratic rights, when they can’t vent their pain, sorrow, frustration and regrets.”

“The Awami League government has created such a situation over the past 12 years. They have pushed the state to such a point that it can’t be called a democratic state anymore. The conspiracy to turn Bangladesh into a failed  state is almost ready,” he said criticising the government.