BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has asked why was unwarranted tussle over BNP’s election symbol, the "sheaf of paddy". Without naming anyone, he said, “We never obstructed your symbol. The election commission will decide and assign your symbol, that’s the commission’s decision.”
Mirza Fakhrul made these remarks as the chief guest at a memorial meeting marking the 35th martyrdom anniversary of Nazir Uddin Jehad, a hero of the anti-autocracy popular uprising of 1990. The event was held today, Friday, at the Engineers’ Institution Auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka, and was organised by the Shaheed Jehad Smriti Sangsad, reports Prothom Alo.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) wants the water lily (shapla) as its election symbol. However, the election commission has refused to grant them this symbol. Yesterday, Thursday, NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari visited the election commission and, after a meeting, reiterated their demand, saying, “Either the shapla symbol must be given, or the rice and golden jute symbols must be removed.” This was the condition NCP presented to the commission. Nasiruddin Patwari added, “Without the shapla symbol, NCP will not proceed with registration.”
Today, Mirza Fakhrul said, “Some individuals or parties are threatening or warning that unless a certain symbol is given, they won’t contest the election, or another symbol cannot be used. We never said that you cannot be given a symbol, so why this unwarranted tussle over BNP’s sheaf of paddy?”
Referring to the sheaf of paddy as indomitable, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “Wherever you go in the villages, there is only one slogan: just plant paddy, plant paddy. That is the main issue. That’s why some want the sheaf of paddy to be resisted, blocked. If the sheaf of paddy wins, then the enemies of Bangladesh will inevitably be defeated in all their conspiracies.”
Referring to Sheikh Hasina a “monster,” he added, “The monster Sheikh Hasina didn’t just flee to Delhi on a whim, she was forced to go because we built that foundation. After 15 years of struggle, fighting and sacrificing blood, we achieved that foundation.”
He also remarked, “Democracy cannot be built by a few leaps here and there.” He said, “Building democracy requires hard work, sacrifice, and reaching out to the people. BNP is a party that goes to the people for the sake of democracy.”
Accusing attempts to bring the bureaucracy under the control of a particular party, Mirza Fakhrul said, “We see efforts to put the bureaucracy in the pocket of one party. We will not tolerate this in any way. The bureaucracy and government must remain completely neutral during elections. The election commission and administration must stay entirely impartial, without bowing to any party.”
In his speech as chair of the event, BNP chairperson’s advisor Amanullah Aman recalled Shaheed Nazir Uddin Jehad, saying, “On that day, we laid Jehad’s body in front of Aparojeyo Bangla at Dhaka University and took an oath to overthrow autocracy. The next day, during the hartal, the police baton-charged us. Injured, we went from the hospital to the Shaheed Minar and took the oath again. In the end, we succeeded in overthrowing autocracy.”
Also speaking at the event moderated by BNP joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokon, were BNP leaders Asaduzzaman Ripon and others.
