BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the party (BNP) is not in favour of banning any political party.
He said, “Who are we to ban political parties? It is the people who will decide.”
The BNP leader came up with the assertion in response to questions from journalists after attending a meeting in Dhaka commemorating the second death anniversary of BNP leader Sabihuddin Ahmed.
He also remembered the contributions of Sabihuddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP Chairperson's advisory council and former secretary.
Mirza Fakhrul stated, “Sabih dedicated himself to the country and the people in every role he held.”
He added: “What stands out most to me is his unwavering commitment while working alongside our Madam Begum Khaleda Zia; he approached his duties with the highest sense of responsibility.”
Fakhrul remarked, “Together with Sabih, who began his journey in student politics, we shared a common goal: to transform society, and we will achieve that." He noted that while it wasn’t possible at the time due to Sabih’s commitment to his government job, Sabih, however, never deviated from that objective.
The BNP Secretary General stated that under Sheikh Hasina's government, Sabihuddin faced severe persecution. "He was subjected to brutal attacks at that time...Riaz Rahman was shot, Sabihuddin's car was set on fire, and another individual was also assaulted."
He added: “We were like brothers. He possessed boundless energy and faced every challenge with unwavering determination.”
The memorial meeting was hosted by the family of the late Sabihuddin at the BRAC Center conference hall in Mohakhali, Dhaka.
Among those in attendance were Senior Editor Shafik Rehman, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintu, Chairperson’s Advisory Council Member Zahir Uddin Swapan, and Jatiya Party Senior Co-Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud, along with dignitaries from various fields, including retired diplomats, bankers, and economists.
Sabihuddin Ahmed died at the age of 76 while undergoing treatment at the United Hospital in Gulshan in 2022. Sabihuddin served as the private secretary to then prime minister Khaleda Zia in 1991.
In 2001, Sabihuddin Ahmed joined the environment ministry as secretary. Later, he was appointed as Bangladesh's high commissioner to the UK.
