BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has warned that if democratic forces fail to unite, the country may once again face the rise of a hidden autocracy. He made the remarks on Saturday (September 27) while virtually addressing the biennial conference of the BNP’s Cumilla South District unit from London.
He said that since independence, autocratic regimes had emerged multiple times in Bangladesh but were ousted through popular movements. Late President Ziaur Rahman had introduced multi-party democracy by ending one-party rule, yet autocracy resurfaced again. In recent years too, people’s movements brought down authoritarian rule. However, if democratic forces do not come together now, a concealed autocracy could rise once more.
Addressing party leaders and activists, Tarique Rahman said BNP members had long fought alongside the people, enduring repression and persecution. Now the challenge is to rebuild the nation. For that, leaders and activists must reach out to every household, spreading the message of unity, reconstruction, and the need to work collectively for the country.