Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has said that a new form of violence, mob terrorism, has emerged in Bangladesh and is posing a grave threat to both humanity and democracy.
“Although we may have escaped fascism, the process of building democratic institutions and ensuring genuine democratic practices has yet to begin,” he said in a statement marking the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture,
Now, he said, an aggressive frenzy under the name of ‘mob justice’ has turned into an enemy of humanity. “This trend will endanger the environment necessary for cultivating a democratic culture.”
June 26 is observed annually as the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Tarique Rahman stressed the importance of ensuring that Bangladesh does not return to a one-dimensional state structure. “To safeguard and strengthen democracy, we must ensure its continuity. We must foster a tradition rooted in humanity, justice, rule of law, and free and fair elections. To achieve this, a united and unwavering democratic front is essential.”
“Under Awami fascist rule, Bangladesh was turned into a totalitarian state. All forms of civil liberty, including freedom of expression, were systematically stripped away. Press freedom was shackled by black laws. The symbol of Bangladesh’s democracy, BNP Chairperson and national leader Begum Khaleda Zia, was unjustly imprisoned in a fabricated case. Even her access to adequate medical care, while critically ill, was cruelly obstructed by the barbaric Awami regime,” he said.
Describing the nation as gripped by fear and repression, he said: Any dissent against the fascist government would trigger a brutal response from state-backed forces. By eliminating humanity and upholding a culture of impunity, the ruling party’s loyalists endangered the very existence of ordinary people, including women and children. It is only within a truly democratic society that comprehensive human rights can be ensured.
“Though many nations achieved independence following World War II, violence and conflict have not ceased worldwide. Bloodlust continues to fuel devastating strife across the globe. As a result, countless people have been killed, injured, or permanently disabled. In many countries, authoritarian regimes inflict extreme repression upon political opponents, placing the lives and properties of citizens in constant danger. Under the tyrannical dominance of dictators, dissenters face enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and false imprisonment, enduring unspeakable suffering for years,” he said.
Referring to the past 16 years of what he called “a horrifying reign of fascist misrule” in Bangladesh, Tarique said: On this day dedicated to the victims of torture, I express my solidarity with all oppressed people in Bangladesh and around the world. I call for the removal of all obstacles to justice for victims of persecution. Only through a united, humane, and democratic global effort can we defeat these brutal oppressors and despots.