BNP National Standing Committee member Major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (retd), Bir Bikram today spoke at at the Khulna Press Club. Photo: BSS

KHULNA, August 9, 2025 (BSS) - BNP National Standing Committee member Major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (retd), Bir Bikram, said that vested quarters want Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system to mislead the people.

“We want people to vote based on a candidate’s personality, competence and integrity and the people also agree with us. But some vested quarter want to camouflage with people in the name of PR electoral system,” he said.

Hafiz Uddin said this at a discussion on “Martyr Zia in the Great Liberation War of 1971 and the Establishment of Democracy” at the Khulna Press Club today.

“For the past 17 years, we have been struggling and fighting against the fascist government, during which many of our leaders and activists have sacrificed their lives. Yet, a few political parties are out to create trouble on the way to establish democracy,” he said.

Khulna City and District Units of the Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal organized the program with its Khulna city unit president Sheikh Alamgir Hossain in the chair.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal President Istiaq Aziz Ulfat addressed the discussion as the main speaker while BNP’s Information Secretary Azizul Bari Helal, Khulna City BNP President Advocate Shafiqul Alam Mona, Khulna District BNP Convener Moniruzzaman Montu and Khulna City BNP General Secretary Shafiqul Alam Tuhin were present as special guests.

Hafiz Uddin said, the Liberation War of 1971 was a fight to establish democratic society. But the Awami League has distorted the true history of the Liberation War.

After the Liberation War, Sheikh Mujib tried to establish BAKSAL, and today, similarly, there is an attempt to misrepresent the 2024 mass uprising to mislead the people, he said. 

“I can proudly say that BNP and its thousands of leaders and activists took part in the 2024 mass uprising like in 1971. We are free today because of their sacrifice,” he added.

Recalling the memories of 1971, he said, “We saw that the real freedom fighters came from the poor families. But after independence wealthy families snatched the identity of the freedom fighters.”

Major Hafiz further said, “A normal situation is now prevailing in Bangladesh’s politics. Wind of democracy has begun to blow.”

He called upon all political parties to take part in the election saying a fair and beautiful election is possible when everybody would take in the election.

“Let me make clear that the dummy election of Hasina’s era will not happen in Bangladesh again. If they do, the people of Bangladesh will not accept them.”