BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has called for united efforts to restore democracy in Bangladesh. He made the appeal in a Facebook post on Sunday evening (September 14), marking International Day of Democracy.
In his message, Tarique Rahman said that the foundation of rebuilding the state lies in free, fair, and participatory elections. He also stressed ensuring the independence of the judiciary and the media, along with institutionalizing all fundamental principles of democracy. He alleged that democracy in Bangladesh has been suppressed for the past one and a half decades under what he termed as “Awami fascism.”
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that no autocratic force can rise if democratic practices continue uninterrupted. He observed that although victory was achieved through the historic blood-soaked movement in July–August, full democracy has not yet been established. To make democracy permanent, he emphasized the need to ensure the continuity of free and impartial elections.