BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the upcoming national election will be a contest between a pro-Bangladesh force and a backward force that uses religion to mislead people.

“This election will be a contest between two forces. One force stands for Bangladesh. This force stands for liberal democracy and the true establishment of democracy,” he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the other force is backward and has always tried to confuse people in the name of religion.

Fakhrul said those who took part in the Liberation War to create an independent homeland can never forget 1971. “Because of 1971, we are alive today and living on this land.”

He raised the question of choice before the nation — whether to stand with the force of independence or with those who tried to destroy it.

Expressing optimism, the BNP leader said he believes people will make the right decision in the election. “That decision is to choose the sheaf of paddy symbol. That is why Shaheed Intellectuals Day is very important this year,” he observed.

The Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal and Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Projonmo organised the discussion meeting titled ‘National Parliamentary Election Is Essential to Protect Democracy at a Critical Time for the Nation’ at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.

Fakhrul said the country is now facing deep polarisation. “The people of Bangladesh must decide what they will choose — independence, sovereignty and democracy, or the backward forces that opposed our independence in the past and tried to block our progress.”

He said these questions are being raised because that force has once again resurfaced and is misleading people in the name of religion, just as it did in 1971.

The BNP leader also said the same force opposed the struggle of the Muslims of this region in 1947, when they fought for self-determination.

“I want to say this clearly — the same force opposed the Pakistan Movement in 1947 and opposed Bangladesh’s independence in 1971,” he said.

Fakhrul said that force has now changed its appearance and is trying to show that it can build a “new Bangladesh”. “But the people of Bangladesh cannot trust them.”

“Those who denied our birth and our independence cannot be trusted by those of us who fought in the Liberation War,” he observed.

The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh have always fought for their rights and existence, from the Mughal period to the struggles of leaders like the Bara Bhuiyans and Titu Mir.

“A nation with such a history can never bow its head or be defeated,” Fakhrul said.

Recalling December 14, 1971, Fakhrul said the Pakistani army killed the nation’s brightest intellectuals.

He said the occupation forces abducted and killed philosophers like Govinda Chandra Dev, writers like Shahidullah Kaiser, doctors like Abdul Alim, journalists and writers like Selina Parvin, and many others.

The BNP leader said these were planned killings, and there is no reason to forgive such crimes.

He said the nation recently fought again to free democracy and drove out fascist forces through a student-led mass uprising.

“But that does not mean we will allow another fascist force to take over. Any force that wants to push Bangladesh backwards must not be allowed to rise again,” Fakhrul said.

He alleged that defeated fascist forces are now trying to create instability in the country.

“The defeated fascists could not accept their defeat and fled the country. From there, they are continuing to conspire. They have learnt nothing, even after facing such consequences,” Fakhrul said.

Referring to recent gun attacks on Inqilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi in Dhaka and BNP leader Ershad Ullah in Chattogram, Fakhrul said such acts are carried out to destabilise the country.

“But we know the people of Bangladesh will never allow these conspiracies to succeed,” he said.