Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that holding a free, fair, and impartial election is the only way to restore democracy in Bangladesh.“Democracy cannot be established merely by enacting laws through a few individuals,” he said. “No matter how many reforms are made or how many strategies are invented, democracy cannot return until a government is elected through a proper electoral process.” He made these remarks on Friday (October 10) at a discussion meeting held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Dhaka, marking the martyrdom anniversary of Naziruddin Jehad, a martyr of the anti-autocracy movement. The event was attended by leaders of the All-Party Student Unity that led the mass uprising of the 1990s.

“Bangladeshis are a democracy-loving and freedom-loving nation,” Fakhrul said. “They have repeatedly fought and sacrificed blood for independence and democracy. Unfortunately, they have stumbled time and again, but each time they have risen again and achieved victory through struggle and movement.”

Criticizing the current government, Fakhrul said, “The tyrant Hasina has destroyed everything in the country— the judiciary, administration, election system, economy, health, and education— nothing has been spared.”

Referring to the recent remarks by Nasir Uddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the SNIP party, Fakhrul said, “BNP has no competition with anyone over election symbols. It is up to the Election Commission to decide which symbol will be allotted to whom. There is no reason to drag BNP’s sheaf of paddy symbol into unnecessary debate. The sheaf of paddy has become a symbol of the people; its slogan is echoing across the country.”

Fakhrul reaffirmed that BNP’s movement for democracy would continue, saying, “We have been fighting for democracy for a long time, and we will restore it once again. The power of the people is our true strength.”