Freeing Khaleda: Fakhrul, Maudud under fire for lack of action

Two senior BNP leaders -- Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Moudud Ahmed -- came under fire by the party rank and file at a discussion programme in the capital yesterday for lack of action programmes to free its chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

They also voiced frustration over the thin presence of party leaders and activists yesterday's programme.

The BNP arranged the discussion programme at the Institution of Engineers', Bangladesh, marking the Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day today.

As BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed was addressing the programme, a party junior leader stood up saying, "Please talk about Khaleda Zia's release".

"Tell us when and how she'll be freed. Why is the hall room not filled here?" the junior leader said amid the slogans of party men.

At one stage, Moudud said, "We'll surely come up with programmes, but you'll have to have patience."

He added that a movement was the only way to free Khaleda from jail. "Khaleda Zia won't be freed through a legal battle. Her release will be our only agenda."

During the end of the discussion, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam came to speak at the programme, during which party activists began shouting, demanding action programmes to free Khaleda from jail.

In reply, Fakhrul said the programmes cannot be announced “whimsically”. "You'll have to observe the programmes if we announce those," he added.

Dissatisfied with his response, party activists began shouting again demanding an announcement programmes or dissolving the party committee.

Fakhrul then urged them not to shout in the hall room and sit down.

The BNP secretary general said, "I realise your pain and anger. But you must keep in mind that it's not easy to succeed in a struggle of democratic forces against fascism. Why do you think you've failed? You've neither failed nor been defeated."

He said BNP leaders and activists became successful in the December 30 polls as it has now exposed to the people and the global community that the ruling Awami League “was a fascist force though it talks about democracy”.