BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday expressed high hope that the ongoing political crisis in the country will be resolved with the restoration of democracy through their party’s peaceful movement.

“We--all the political parties of this country--have got united on the basis of one-point demand as we want the resignation of this regime and a free and transparent election under a non-partisan neutral poll-time government,” he said.

Speaking at a seminar, the BNP leader said he is confident that they will realise their demands through the united movement with the help of the people.

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“The people of Bangladesh have always won through united efforts and peaceful movements. We believe that the people of Bangladesh will be able to restore democracy through a peaceful movement this time as well,” he said.

BNP arranged the seminar titled 'A Democratic Future for Bangladesh and the Indo-Pacific Strategy' at a city hotel. BNP standing committee member and its international relations committee chairman Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the keynote paper at the programme.

Diplomats from different countries, including the USA, the UK, Japan, France, Australia and the European Union, were present at the seminar.

Read: BNP’s only plan is to hold peaceful rally on Oct 28, not to take over streets: Fakhrul

Slamming the government for repressing the opposition leaders and activists, Fakhrul said the nation is passing through the most critical time.

He said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, who struggled throughout her entire life for the cause of democracy, is now critically ill without proper treatment due to extreme vengeance of the ruling party. 

"Our party’s around 700 people, including three former MPs, have been subjected to enforced disappearance. Our 45 lakh people have been facing false cases. Many of us are being sentenced before the elections so that they can’t participate in the polls,” the BNP leader said.

Read more: In conversations with Hindu community, Fakhrul insists 'return to democracy' as best bet for harmony

He said the government has created a situation in the country where only the Awami League can take part in the election and retain power keeping the opposition parties away from voting.

BNP wants secure and stable Indo-Pacific

In his keynote paper, Khosru said BNP firmly believes democracy and preservation of democratic values will be the bedrock of any commitment to the Indo-Pacific Strategy.

“Our Indo-Pacific vision reflects the desires of the people by prioritizing their interests and aspirations. We pledge to align economically and strategically with democratic nations and institutions and implement domestic initiatives to empower all Bangladeshis with freedom, equality, and prosperity, irrespective of gender, religion, ethnicity or politics,” he said. 

The BNP leader said their party is dedicated to ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific region while protecting national interests and contributing to collective security.

He said late President Ziaur Rahman, BNP's founder, took the country away from the Soviet bloc and made it a key member of an open, free and democratic world during his rule.

“Bangladesh economy thrived and defied all doomsday predictions largely due to the privatisation drive, free market and globalisation policies undertaken by President Zia and his widow and thrice-former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in the formative years of the country,” the BNP leader observed.   

But since 2009, he said the country has been effectively ruled by a corrupt one-party government, propped up by oligarchs and crony capitalists at home and authoritarian regimes abroad. “The challenge for the BNP is now to re-establish a multi-party democracy.”

Khosru said the Indo-Pacific Strategy taken by the democratic world, can be expected to reshape the global security and economic architecture to ensure a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

“We would embrace an Indo-Pacific strategy for a free, open, prosperous, liberal, democratic and secure Indo-Pacific region in an effort to ensure security cooperation, rule-based order, harmony, safe maritime navigation, sustainable development, free trade and resilience to withstand climate, health, pandemic and transnational threats,” he said.