BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today addressed a programme at the National Press Club in Dhaka. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, July 10, 2025 (BSS) – Thanking Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus for his fresh instruction on the national election, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today expressed the hope that the Election Commission will complete its election preparations promptly.

“It is a very positive instruction. Now we expect that the Chief Adviser would help hold the next general election in a free, fair and credible manner," he said while addressing a programme at the National Press Club here.   

“We hope that the Election Commission will complete this work very quickly and create an environment for the election,” the BNP leader added.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) jointly organized the event titled, “The role of journalists in the July Uprising and honoring the martyred journalist families,". 

Six families of journalists who embraced martyrdom in the July mass uprising were honored in the event. Mirza Fakhrul handed over crests to the family members. Following this, former BFUJ President journalist Ruhul Amin Gazi was also honored posthumously. His wife and son received the award on his behalf.

The BNP Secretary General said over the past 15 years, 6 million BNP leaders and activists faced false charges. 

“These individuals had to go to courts daily, visit their lawyers to face the cases. Even many of them went into hiding from their homes and villages to evade police harassment. Some left their villages and came to Dhaka, earning living by driving rickshaws or working as security guards. During this period, 1,700 activists became victim of enforced disappearances, and approximately 35,000 were brutally killed,” he alleged.

He urged the interim government to take seriously the issues of killings and push-ins at the border areas.

He said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman established a multi-party democratic system from a one-party rule and then laid the groundwork for the freedom of all newspapers and the core structure of the economic system. 

“In this way, he restored a full democratic system to our political culture. Today, false information is being spread about reforms, claiming that the BNP doesn't want it. BNP has expressed similar views on most issues in the ongoing Consensus Commission. We are always in favor of democracy; reform is in our blood. So, do not spread rumors about BNP,” Mirza Fakhrul added.

DUJ President Md. Shahidul Islam presided over the event while General Secretary Khurshid Alam moderated it. 

BNP Standing Committee member Dr. A. Z. M. Zahid Hossain, Jamaat's Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar, President of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Acting President of BFUJ Obaidur Rahman Shahin, Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, Assistant Secretary General Bachhir Jamal, Vice Presidents AKM Mohsin and Khairul Bashar, DUJ Treasurer Khandaker Alamgir, Organizing Secretary Sayeed Khan and Vice President Rashedul Haque, among others, took part in the discussion. 

Dr. A. Z. M. Zahid Hossain said even though the autocrat has fled, that mentality persists in the country. 

Jamaat Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar said, “Our ideologies may differ, and there is no problem with that. However, on common issues, we must all stay united. Everyone must remain vigilant and united to ensure that the fascist autocracy of Hasina cannot return to Bangladesh. 

Kader Gani Chowdhury said, "Over the past 15 years, the fascist Hasina government had inflicted the most severe oppression upon members of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman’s family. We didn’t forget this persecution. We demand justice against those who have tortured and oppressed us for the last 15 years."