Awami League turned country into a failed state: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the ruling Awami League has turned the country into a failed state.

"They badly destroyed the country and its institutions," Mirza Fakhrul said on Friday while addressing a silent road march organised by the BNP's Dhaka Metropolitan South unit.

He further blamed the Awami League for Bangladesh not getting invited by the United States to its Summit for Democracy.

"It's a matter of shame,' the BNP leader said.

"People are struggling due to increased prices of daily commodities," he said, adding, "Ordinary people are becoming poor day by day, while the Awami League leaders and activists are getting rich."

Through the silent processions, Fakhrul said, they want to send out a message to the city dwellers to wake up and put up a resistance against the current government's misrule and repressive acts and failure to run the country and check the growing prices of essential items.

Leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organisations participated in the march that circled roads from Gopibagh to Nayabazar in the capital starting at 4:30pm.

Fakhrul also criticised the presidential election and said that the election has proved that the country's problems will not be solved with this constitution.

The ruling Awami League-nominated Mohammad Shahabuddin was elected unopposed as the 22nd president of Bangladesh as the party enjoys an overwhelming majority in the parliament.

He said the Awami League claims they have done developments but they cannot provide gas and electricity to people.

He also reiterated his party's stance that they would not participate in an election in which the people cannot vote.

BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said BNP is not fighting to come to power but for people's rights and democracy.

"Some people are looting Bangladesh in collaboration with some looters of neighbouring countries," said Mirza Abbas.

He called upon India to support the people of the country and not the Awami League.

Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of BNP's Standing Committee, said that the BNP and the people share the same position – "resignation of the government and election under a non-partisan government."

Centring the BNP's silent march, a huge number of law enforcers were deployed in the areas to maintain law and order and fend off any untoward incidents, reports the UNB.

Apart from BNP, LPD, Gonoforum, People's Party, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote and Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote also staged the march programme in different areas of the capital at different times on Friday as part of the simultaneous movement to oust the current government.

BNP's all other metropolitan city units are scheduled to hold a similar programme today.