Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the next national parliamentary election must be held by mid-February 2026.
He stated that the BNP’s only objective is to establish a truly democratic and liberal state in Bangladesh.
Speaking at a program organised by Jatiyatabadi Krishok Dal and “We Are BNP Family” in the capital on Sunday, Fakhrul said, “Our goal is one — we want a real liberal democratic state. We want a new Bangladesh; we want change.”
“We don’t want corruption, bribery, murder, or repression. We want a country where people can move freely and live comfortably,” he added.
Fakhrul said that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia had long envisioned a pluralistic state, where citizens could believe in democracy, socialism, or welfare-state ideals.
“That dream is now being carried forward by acting chairman Tarique Rahman,” he added.
He stressed that the party is hopeful of creating a people’s government through the coming election — one that will honour the sacrifices made by citizens and take all necessary steps to restore democracy in Bangladesh.
“Politics is not a bed of roses. There will be problems. But we remain hopeful. We believe that through the upcoming election, we can form a people’s government,” Fakhrul said.
At the event, he shared an emotional account of a mother he met on Friday who had lost her only son during the July uprising.
“She is a nurse. She kept crying, saying, ‘The boy I dreamt my family’s future with — they’ve taken him in a horrific, brutal way. They shot him and threw him in a van with six or seven other bodies — without even checking whether he was alive or dead.’”
“She said, ‘The police and administration of this state — whose salaries come from our taxes — are the ones who killed my son and burned him to death,’” Fakhrul continued.
He said such incidents are shameful not just for the regime but for humanity itself. “Hasina can never be forgiven. Hasina is a disgrace to humanity, a disgrace to mothers,” he said.
He asserted that the first priority must be to ensure justice for those killed, and the second to rehabilitate families of victims and those injured. “If we don’t do this, neither the future nor the nation will forgive us,” he said.
Fakhrul also announced that the BNP would create a fund to support affected families. “I will propose to our acting chairman today that we raise a fund from our party and assist these families however we can,” he said.
He further noted that their political movement is not about measuring losses or competing in sacrifice.
“I don’t want to get into a debate about how many people we lost or what we did. That feels like selfishness. My responsibility is to lift the nation,” he added.