BNP distancing from longstanding ally Jamat-e-Islami, protests attempted erasure of liberation memories of 1971
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 22, 2025
With the crucial elections to the National Assembly barely six months away, the political parties in Bangladesh have started positioning themselves on core ideological issues . The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which is widely tipped to win the upcoming elections quite handsomely in the absence of ousted Awami League has lashed out at attempts in a veiled manner against the sectarian politics of Jamat-e-Islami and the newly launched National Citizens Party (NCP) sponsored by Md Yunus. This came to the fore this morning from a speech of the BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir.
Speaking at a ‘Janmashtami’ programme of the minority Hindus yesterday Mirza Fakhrul has called on all citizens to united against attempts to erase the memory of 1971 liberation war of the country.He said, “today, I want to remember the martyrs of the 1971 liberation war. That year gave me an independent country, a territory, and an identity. Just as July–August 1971 was true, so was the nine-month liberation war. We must unite to protect this legacy.”
He also warned against rising extremism, saying, “if it takes root, the soul and existence of Bangladesh will not be protected. No one should engage in divisive politics. To protect and sustain Bangladesh, we must all work together.”
Fakhrul criticized the Awami League that had ruled the country ‘illegitimately’ for fifteen years, alleging looting of national resources and destruction of democratic structures. He claimed, “Nearly Tk 44 lakh crore has been sent abroad. The country’s economy is in a dire state.”
He called for unity in building a secular “rainbow state” — the vision of BNP and acting chairman Tarique Rahman — for the “Bangladesh of the future.”
Advocate Subrata Chowdhury of Gonoforum said, “no force or conspirator will be allowed to disrupt the election scheduled for next February. Tarique Rahman’s 31-point plan is our national charter to build the Bangladesh of the future.”
The program was held at the Engineers’ Institution auditorium in Ramna and attended by BNP leaders, members of the Hindu community, and religious figures. Tarique Rahman joined virtually from London.
more news...