BNP pays tribute to language martyrs with pledge to secure Khaleda's release

The BNP has paid tribute to the Language Movement heroes on International Mother Language Day with a pledge to restore democracy in Bangladesh through the release of jailed party chief Khaleda Zia.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reiterated the party's commitment to securing Khaleda's freedom while speaking to reporters at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday.

"On this great day, we are very sad but compelled to say that there is no democracy in the country. The people have been deprived of their rights and there in no rule of law. There is no justice here," said Fakhrul.

"We are making a pledge today to bring back democracy in the country and set Khaleda free."

Khaleda, who is serving a total of 17 years in jail in two corruption cases, has been undergoing treatment at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital since April last year. But the 74-year-old former prime minister's lawyers have moved the High Court seeking bail on humanitarian grounds since she is not "advanced medical treatment" at BSMMU.

On the latest bail plea, Fakhrul said: "As per the constitution, the least Khaleda deserves is bail but she is being denied that."

"It's unfortunate that the democratic spirit of the 1952 Language Movement, the Liberation War, [is yet to materialise] after 68 years. This government has stripped people of all their rights -- the right to live and vote. They have destroyed the democratic institutions and established a single-party rule to perpetrate injustices."

Earlier, Fakhrul led the party to the Azimpur Graveyard earlier to pay respects at the graves of the Language Movement martyrs.

They later marched to the Central Shaheed Minar around 8am and placed wreaths on the memorial.