Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the outgoing secretary general of BNP and the party’s presidential candidate, broke down in tears several times during an emotional farewell speech at a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday.
Addressing his colleagues, he sought their prayers and urged them to cast their votes in his favour for the upcoming presidential election, creating a moving atmosphere in the room.
The meeting, chaired by BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, was held at the National Parliament Building meeting room, lasting approximately one and a half hours from 2pm.
During the session, Tarique called upon the party’s lawmakers to vote for Fakhrul while issuing a stern warning to maintain organisational unity and discipline ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
An emotional farewell
The proceedings began with a welcome address by Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, who detailed the voting process for the presidential election scheduled for Thursday.
He noted that Fakhrul would cast his own vote and mentioned that, should he be elected and assume office at Bangabhaban, his Thakurgaon-1 constituency would be declared vacant.
When Fakhrul rose to speak, he was quickly overcome by emotion. According to MPs present, he broke into tears four or five times during his brief address.
He expressed profound gratitude to the late BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and the party’s founder, former President Ziaur Rahman, while also thanking Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Reflecting on his long tenure as Senior Joint Secretary General, Acting Secretary General, and Secretary General, he sought forgiveness for any mistakes or instances where he might have unintentionally hurt others.
“I will protect the honour the party has bestowed upon me, even at the cost of my life,” he stated, vowing never to compromise on the country’s independence and sovereignty. He also expressed that he would deeply miss his colleagues after moving to Bangabhaban.
Tarique’s tribute and call for accountability
The emotional display reportedly moved Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as well. In his subsequent address, the Prime Minister described the day as “historic” and thanked the Almighty for the progress made.
He emphasised that accountability is essential in state governance and must be established across all levels of a democratic system.
Praising Fakhrul’s long-standing political contribution, Tarique Rahman noted that he had steered the party with immense courage during its most difficult times, even facing imprisonment.
He lamented the unfortunate circumstances that had forced him (Tarique Rahman) to remain abroad during those challenging periods.
Stern warnings on unity and local polls
Turning to organisational matters, the BNP Chairman stressed that there is no alternative to maintaining unity and discipline. He issued a specific warning regarding the local government elections, which will be held without party symbols this time.
Expressing concern over reports of a growing distance between some MPs and the party’s grassroots, he instructed them to bridge these gaps immediately.
He reminded the attendees that the party suffered in the last general election due to internal candidates running against party-nominated ones.
He directed the members to begin organisational work now to ensure that no one opposes party-supported candidates and urged them to select and support qualified and acceptable individuals at the local level.
The meeting was attended by senior leaders including BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, Selima Rahman, and AZM Zahid Hossain, alongside other party MPs.
