BNP to continue movement to restore democracy: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the party will continue their ongoing peaceful movement for the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.

“Our peaceful movement will continue. The people of Bangladesh are fighting for the rights to vote, for the rights of democracy. We will continue our movement until the people’s victory,” Fakhrul told reporters after his release from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj this afternoon.

Over one hundred BNP leaders and activists greeted Fakhrul and standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury with flowers and chanted slogans as they walked out of the prison gate around 3:45pm.

“The people of Bangladesh will be victorious in the ongoing movement,” Fakhrul said.

“BNP’s movement has not suffered any loss. The movement to restore voting rights will continue. It is the government that has suffered a loss by holding the one-sided election on January 7. BNP has not suffered any loss.”

Khasru said, “The people of Bangladesh have voted for democracy. So we will continue our movement with the people of Bangladesh until the restoration of democracy is successful.”

He said the Awami League government has “illegally seized power” through an election that “deprived people of their rights”.

“Those who have illegally seized power, it [power] must be taken away from them and given back to the people,” Khasru said, adding that they were unfairly jailed.

“They [Awami League] have usurped power by depriving people of their rights and holding elections by force. The people of the country have rejected them. They have been morally defeated in the election,” he added.

According to the party sources, the two top officials returned home after being released.