BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday the future of Bangladesh will have to be decided by the people of this country, no one in America, China or India can decide it.
Speaking at a discussion titled 'Ambassador Sirajul Islam's Vision of Empowering Bangladesh: Leadership, Unity and Growth, Diplomacy and Governance for the Country's Transformation' organized by the Empowerment Bangladesh and North South University's Department of History and Philosophy said, "Bangladesh is ours, we have to build its future. Trump from America will not decide it, or even Xi from China will not do it, or Modi from India will not be able to push us to do anything."
Fakhrul Islam said, "There are many problems in Bangladesh as it was born with the accumulation of different ideologies. During independence, we had many leaders like Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mahbub Ullah."
The BNP Secretary General said, "At that time, each of us had different thoughts. Some thought of establishing socialism, some communism, some religion. But when the war started, we all united and fought together."
"Today, the same incident happened on the 24th, we came with different thoughts, the day the shooting started on the students, everyone came out on the streets," said Fakhrul.
He said, "We have been fighting for democracy for almost a hundred years. In this fight, we have sacrificed a lot, many have given their lives. A few days ago, several thousand of our young and fresh lives were lost."
Paying tribute to all the martyrs, Fakhrul said, "It is because of their sacrifice that Bangladesh has been dreaming of a beautiful, peaceful, happy country since its establishment."
He expressed the hope that very good things await the nation as interim government head Dr Muhammad Yunus will succeed in addressing political and other problems.
Fakhrul said, "We have problems, and these will be resolved. In fact, a lot of progress has already been made. I want to thank Prof Yunus for taking on the responsibility (of running the country). I believe he will be successful. Let us all help him, help ourselves and move forward," he told a discussion.
Fakhrul said everyone seems to be growing frustrated after listening to television talk shows and the speeches of scholars and political leaders all around.
He said people are also getting worried about what the ultimate outcome will be, following the sacrifices of so much blood and so many lives during the July-August uprising.
"I firmly believe that something good will surely happen…and it will be very good. We, the people of Bangladesh, have always fought for what is right and have triumphed time and again," the BNP leader said.
Stating that behind all of Bangladesh's achievements are its youth, Fakhrul said youth of Bangladesh played a pivotal role in all democratic and rights movements, from the Language Movement of 1952 to the July-August mass uprising of 2024.
"But I want to emphasise one thing that there is no alternative to democracy and democracy cannot be imposed. It has to be practised, and the spaces for that practice must remain open," he added.
Presided over by North South University Vice Chancellor Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, the seminar was attended by BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Central Organizing Secretary Shama Obaid, AB Party General Secretary Barrister Fuad, and others.
Interim government Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed gave a video message at the seminar. Foreign Secretary Md Jasim Uddin also spoke at the event.
