Spirit of Feb 21 a bulwark against rise of fascism: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi believes that if Bangladesh falls into the grip of fascism again, the spirit of the Language Movement will be the driving force in resisting it, reports The Financial Express. 

Speaking on Friday after paying tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement at Dhaka‍‍`s Central Shaheed Minar on International Mother Language Day, Rizvi said, “The spirit of Feb 21 is eternal -- it will never fade.”

“If fascism or dictatorship tries to take hold again, the spirit of Feb 21 will inspire our fearless youth and the people of this nation to take to the streets and resist.”

He emphasised that the legacy of Feb 21, 1952, has remained a revolutionary ideal for generations. "It is an indestructible force that continues to inspire us.”

“As long as humanity and our society exist, Feb 21 will give us the courage to stand up and fight.”

Turning to the issue of elections, Rizvi stressed that ensuring a free and fair vote is the responsibility of the interim government.

“The young generation of this country -- those who are now 18 or 21 -- have never truly experienced voting. They don’t even know what it means to cast a ballot because for the past 17 years, elections have been rigged, votes have been stolen overnight, and democracy has been systematically dismantled. The Election Commission has been compromised and people’s right to vote has been denied.”

"To restore public confidence and rectify these injustices, the government must ensure a free, fair, and widely accepted election. This is their duty.”

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The BNP leader also dismissed social media claims about the party’s future leadership, particularly the roles of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman.

"Some leaders and individuals have been posting on Facebook that if the BNP comes to power in the next election, Tarique Rahman will become prime minister and Khaleda Zia will be the president. These are personal opinions," he said.

"However, this is not the BNP’s official position. I want to make that absolutely clear."

Earlier, around 6:30 am, Rizvi led BNP leaders and activists from Balaka Cinema Hall to Azimpur Graveyard, where they paid tribute to the language martyrs by offering prayers.

Following this, the BNP’s barefoot procession moved to the Central Shaheed Minar, where Rizvi and other party members laid wreaths in remembrance of the martyrs.