Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday urged party leaders and activists to convert their sorrow over the death of Chairperson Khaleda Zia into renewed resolve, vowing to strengthen the BNP into a formidable force and push forward the struggle for a genuinely democratic Bangladesh.
“Let us transform our grief over Khaleda Zia’s passing into strength, make the BNP an invincible political force, and build a truly democratic Bangladesh,” Fakhrul said.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists following a meeting of the party’s National Standing Committee at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office on Tuesday afternoon.
Fakhrul described Khaleda Zia’s death as an irreparable loss to the nation’s political history, saying the vacuum created by her absence would be extremely difficult to fill. He noted that she departed at a crucial moment, when the country was heading toward elections aimed at restoring democracy and establishing a democratic order.
“The loss of our foremost leader has plunged us into deep grief,” he said, adding that the party was determined to channel this pain into renewed strength and commitment.
He said the BNP would continue to follow the path charted by Khaleda Zia to institutionalise democracy in Bangladesh and firmly establish it through free, fair, and credible elections.
Speaking in the presence of Standing Committee members outside the party chief’s office, Fakhrul said Khaleda Zia was not only a towering figure in Bangladesh’s politics but also a respected leader in the global democratic movement, having devoted her entire life to the cause of democracy.
He portrayed her as a courageous, prudent, and extraordinary leader who repeatedly stood up for democratic principles despite enduring imprisonment and political persecution.
“Today, she is no longer among us,” Fakhrul said, struggling to contain his emotions. He added that Khaleda Zia had spent nearly her entire political career fighting to uphold democracy and its values.
“Serving three terms as Prime Minister, she worked to strengthen democratic institutions and improve the lives of the people.
Even while in opposition, she remained steadfast in her commitment to defending democracy,” the BNP Secretary General said.
