On the occasion of Armed Forces Day, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will visit Senakunja tomorrow (November 21) on Thursday. This will be her first public event since 2018.

On Wednesday (November 20), BNP Chairperson's Personal Assistant ABM Abdus Sattar confirmed this information.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus will be present as the chief guest at the reception at Senakunja. This time, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has received a special invitation from the Armed Forces Division of the Chief Adviser's Office.

It is learned that the BNP Chairperson will leave her Gulshan residence for Senakunja at 3:30 pm on Thursday.

In the past, a military officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, as the wife of a Bir Uttam or an opposition leader, had extended an invitation to the day, but this time, two officers of the rank of Lieutenant General met former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and extended the invitation.

BNP party sources said that along with Khaleda Zia, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has also been invited for the first time since 2009. A total of 26 people have received invitations to the Armed Forces Day program this year. Among them are BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members, vice-chairmen and former military officers of other ranks. In the past, so many leaders from the party did not receive invitations.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, Awami League is a political party. People will decide who will do elections or politics. As a political party, BNP cannot decide that. There has been a misunderstanding here. Quoting the Chief Adviser that ‘BNP gave Awami League an opportunity to do politics’. This is not correct. We have made our position clear.

He said these things at a program to distribute educational materials and corrugated iron among flood victims at BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's house in Sreepur, Fulgazi, Feni on Wednesday (November 20) afternoon.

Mirza Fakhrul said, the people will decide who to allow to do politics or not. We are nobody here, this is not our responsibility. There is no room for misunderstanding here. We have never forbidden (prohibited) any party from taking part in the elections. But all those who have killed people, laundered money abroad and wasted the country's resources, including Hasina, must be brought to justice and punished.

Referring to the Awami League government's torture, Mirza Fakhrul said, Awami League has sent BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to jail with a false case. She cannot even imagine the hardship she was put through. Even then, she has never bowed her head. She is still standing with her head held high. Begum Khaleda Zia is very ill. We are trying to send her abroad for treatment.

The BNP Secretary General said, it takes time to clean up the mess of 15 years. The interim government will do a lot of work. Peace and order have already returned. Can the Awami League people continue to torture now? They need to be given some time. When they finish their work, elections will definitely be held and the people's government will come. We said it would be better to do it a little sooner.

He said, the people of Feni have suffered a lot due to the floods. Our party leaders and activists have worked in the field. Despite hundreds of tortures, we have tried to stand by the flood-affected people. Those who have tortured the country so much have fled.

Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP convener and Feni-1 constituency organizational coordinator Rafiqul Islam Majnu presided over the program. BNP Chairperson's adviser, freedom fighter Abdus Salam, freedom fighter Professor Joynal Abedin, Chairperson's special assistant Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Chattogram Divisional Organizing Secretary Mahbuber Rahman Shamim and various central and local level leaders and activists of BNP were present. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will join a public meeting in Chagalnaiya Upazila of the district this afternoon.

Dhaka: Sheikh Hasina became a fascist by taking advantage of the weakness of political parties. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has commented that the party doesn't want her to return to power either.

He made these remarks at a discussion meeting organized by the Nationalist Professional Council on the occasion of 'National Revolution and Solidarity Day on November 7' at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club on Tuesday (November 19).

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the main priority should be given to restoring the democratic environment in the country. Various conspiracies are currently going on about minorities and garments. If there is an elected government, this conspiracy will not happen.

Regarding the election, the BNP Secretary General said that the problem will increase not because of BNP's power, but if elections are not held soon. He also called on the interim government to announce a roadmap for the next plan.

Regarding the movement on the various demands of the people, Mirza Fakhrul said, "Suffering is being created in the name of the movement. Now everyone is making demands. But so far, no one has made these demands in the face of tyranny. Such a crisis is being created because there is no political government."

He said, "Our priority is to create a democratic environment in the country, to create space for democracy. We have highlighted 31 points of reforms through discussions with political parties. Now, the new ones who are coming are saying different things. Those in the interim government are not political figures. They do not even have political experience. Politics is a science that is why it is called political science. Is BNP talking about elections to come to power? No. If elections are held quickly, many of the country's problems will be solved."

Criticizing the education structure, Mirza Fakhrul said, "What success have we achieved in the education sector in 53 years? Out of 1,000 universities in the world, not one of our universities is included in the serial because we are not a united nation. Sheikh Hasina has done the most harm to the country. She has destroyed all the achievements of the country in 15 years." BNP Standing Committee Member and BSPP Convener Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain presided over the event and was conducted by Member Secretary Quader Gani Chowdhury. BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr. Rafiqul Islam, Bangladesh Teachers and Employees Unity Council Chairman Professor Selim Bhuiyan, DAB Former President Professor Dr. Azizul Haque, DAB President Dr. Harun Al Rashid, Professor Dr. Abu Ahmed and others were also present.

In response to a question on whether Awami League will be given a chance to contest in the next elections, Dr. Muhammad Yunus said, "It has already been announced. We didn't want to decide on political party. BNP did it, said that all political parties will definitely contest the elections. So they have already given their verdict. We will not ignore the opinion of a major party in the country."

Dr. Muhammad Yunus said this in an interview given to Indian media 'The Hindu'. The interview given at Jamuna, the residence of the chief adviser in Dhaka, was published in the online edition of The Hindu on Monday. Dr. Yunus also said, I am not a political person to choose one party or another. I am helping politicians to realize their aspirations.

The Hindu journalist wanted to know how the incident of August 5 is affecting Bangladesh-India relations? Has it come as a setback? In response, Dr. Yunus said, why would this happen? Bangladesh has been liberated from a regime where people have suffered, many have been killed, many have been disappeared, many institutions have been destroyed. India should celebrate this liberation of Bangladesh as a friendly country. Like many countries have done, India should also join our youth and celebrate together.

The journalist said, you said, Sheikh Hasina's presence in India is creating problems in (India-Bangladesh) relations...' In response, Dr. Yunus said, (Sheikh Hasina) is at least staying in India at this time, it is not a problem. Her talking about Bangladesh is a problem. She is talking to the people of Bangladesh, and they are about politics. She is continuing her political activities, that are the problem.

Regarding the newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, he said, I do not think that everything will change in the United States because of a new president. He said, foreign policy and country-to-country relations do not usually change due to a change in the presidency. Apart from that, even if there are changes in Trump's second term, we have to remember that this is also Bangladesh 2, which we call the new Bangladesh. So we will wait and see if the US representatives come and see and if our economy continues to do well, they will be very interested. They are the biggest government buyer in Bangladesh, from our side too. In the interview, Dr. Yunus highlighted the initiatives taken by the government to restore discipline in the financial sector, which is plagued by various problems including non-performing loans, and their success.