Dhaka, Mar 01 (V7N) – BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has commented that although many good things were said at the inaugural Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) event, he did not find any political philosophy of the party.
He made this statement at a discussion meeting titled "The Sacrifice and Leadership of National Leader Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman in the Struggle to Restore Democracy" and the book unveiling of "Celebrated Leader Khaleda Zia", organized by the Nationalist Research Foundation (NRF) at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in Dhaka on Saturday.
Criticizing intellectuals, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said: “Today, a few intellectuals are saying that BNP was born while in power. They forget that they are trying to create a new political narrative. They want to equate Ershad with Ziaur Rahman. But that is not correct. Zia was of a different caliber, something distinct. Zia introduced a new political philosophy — many are forming parties today. I attended the event of those who formed a new party yesterday (Friday). They spoke well about the state, but I did not find any political philosophy.”
The BNP spokesperson said: “Whatever Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was, at that time he created a Bengali nationalism narrative against the Punjabis of West Pakistan for Bengali autonomy. After independence, we got the territory, but the political philosophy for it was given by Ziaur Rahman. That is why Zia was different from others.”
Saying that Ziaur Rahman transitioned from a one-party rule to multi-party democracy, BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General said: “Any democrat would have done it, and Ziaur Rahman did. Ziaur Rahman did not seize power by overthrowing a democratic ruler. It was Sheikh Mujib who killed democracy by establishing Baksal. Ziaur Rahman introduced multi-party democracy.”
Rizvi further said: “All these television channels, the newspapers we read, the space for diverse opinions in democracy, and the tolerance that exists — who created these? Ziaur Rahman lit the torch of democracy from the darkness of Baksal. Some intellectuals say that BNP was also formed while in power. But there are a thousand differences between the formation of BNP and other parties. BNP created a widely discussed democratic system, and when democracy was in crisis again, Begum Khaleda Zia reignited the torch of democracy and ensured the victory of multi-party democracy in the 1990s.”
He added: “From 2006 to 2024, we have endured jail, countless remands, and severe repression. Our standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed was held in a dark cell for two months, where day and night were indistinguishable. Who inspired us to endure such oppression? It was Begum Khaleda Zia.”
END/MSS/AJ
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