AL govt’s fall is now only goal of BNP: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday categorically said  the fall of the Awami League government is now the the only goal of the main opposition party. 

"The absolute reality is that now a terrible fascist and monstrous regime is destroying everything we have. Our only goal now is to resist and defeat them (govt)," he said.

Speaking at a discussion marking national  poet Kazi Nazrul Islam's 46th death anniversary, the BNP leader urged the people to be imbued with the rebellious spirit of the national poet and come forward with the goal of restoring democray.

"Let us remember him (Nazrul) anew now and move forward upholding his spirit.  This should be our vow on this day of his death," he said.

Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Foundation arranged the programme titled "The Politics of Nazrul-the politics of Bangladesh" at the Jatiya Press Club.

Describing Nazrul as a "poet of world humanity", Fakhrul said, his poetry has always inspired the exploited and oppressed people to wake up.

"Kazi Nazrul Islam is more relevant in today's context to inspire people to fight against injustice, despotism, torture and oppression. When my brother Noor-e-Alam was shot dead in Bhola or when my brother Ilias Ali was made disappeared and all our leaders and activists were tortured and when we see our leader Begum Khaleda Zia was unfairly jailed, Nazrul Islam seems more relevant to me," he observed.

Fakhrul bemoaned that Nazrul is now being ignored in the country in many ways.

"His poems and essays are not included in the curriculum of Bengali literature.  I have noticed that Nazrul Islam's songs are very rarely aired on electronic channels," he observed. 

The BNP leader also said the newspapers are now not publishing supplements with importance like in the past on Nazrul Islam's birthday or death anniversary. "I don't see it.  This is extreme narrowness. This is an effort to push the people of Bangladesh towards a wrong direction."

The 46th death anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam will be observed on Saturday amid various programmes. 

Nazrul, revered as Bidrohi Kobi (a rebel poet) for his activism for political and social justice, breathed his last in Dhaka on 12th Bhadro of Bangla calendar year 1383 (August 29, 1976) at the age of 77. He was buried with full state honour beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

Nazrul wrote a large body of poetry and music with themes that included love, humanity, secularism, religious devotion and spiritual rebellion against all sorts of oppression.