People are united to protect country's national security: Mirza Fakhrul

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the people are united to protect the country's national security.

"I think we agree on one thing, that we are united as a people in protecting the national security of our country," he told a discussion at a city hotel in Gulshan.

Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies (FSDS) organised the discussion on national security.

Mirza Fakhrul said some people here have tried to say that there is some division. But there is no division among the countrymen, he said, adding that there may be some differences in opinion and path among political parties, which is normal.

He said, "The people of Bangladesh have always remained united in times of need. In every crisis, the people have united and protected the country's security. Starting from the time of Titumir and right up to '24, you will see that at every time, the people of Bangladesh have stood united and stood up to protect their national interests."

He said the countrymen in every crisis like language movement in 1952, the mass uprising in 1969, the election of 1970, the great Liberation War in 1971 were united to protect their own national interests. The people of Bangladesh have historically remained united in times of need, he added.

The BNP secretary general said, "People have to be empowered, the sovereignty of the people has to be ensured . . . If we can do that, our national security will be ensured, our other matters will become very easy."

Mirza Fakhrul said, "We have not been able to practice democracy properly. We have faced obstacles at every step while practicing democracy. Today we have to agree on that point. I think we all agree on this. Many are talking about moral issues, but I can see the future very positively. The people of Bangladesh are arguing, debating, discussing and through that they are reaching a place. I believe that through this discussion and debate, we will reach a place from where we can truly find the right path to build democratic institutions."

He said, "We think that the institutions need to be strengthened. If we can strengthen this, we will be able to ensure national security and we will be able to move other issues forward." 

Mirza Fakhrul said the people will establish their opinion through voting and truly establish a democratic state system.

BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Election Reform Commission head Badiul Alam Majumder, former state minister of Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury, former Army Chief Lieutenant General Nur Uddin Khan (retd), BNP Vice Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Chairperson's Advisory Council member Ismail Zabihullah, Bangladesh Biplobi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, Gana Adhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur, educationist Professor Mahbub Ullah, Professor Dilara Chowdhury, poet Farhad Mazhar, Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider and former IGP Ashraful Huda, among others, addressed the discussion with FSDS President major general (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar in the chair.