The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) organized a special Iftar Mahfil on Wednesday (March 19, 2025) at the Ladies Club in Eskaton, Dhaka. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined the event virtually from London as the chief guest. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presided over the event. BNP Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku conducted the entire event.
In the pre-Iftar discussion, Tarique Rahman told the interim government that if it fails to control the mischief of religious extremists and extremism, the extremist population and the defeated fascist evil forces will once again build the grave of democracy in the country.
Addressing politicians, the BNP Acting Chairman said, “We may not all have the same thoughts and ideas. We have different political thoughts, different parties, opinions and philosophies. However, despite our differences in opinion, we are all sitting together.” This is our Bangladesh. It is a unique reflection of the religious, social and cultural values of the present era.
He further said that while it is true that the mafia government did not fall just because of holding a national election, it is even more true that the mafia government fell brutally because of not holding a fair and impartial election. Therefore, there is no room to consider an election only as a matter of whether a political party comes to power or not. In every national election, the people get the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate. An opportunity is created for the formation of a people’s representative parliament and government by the elected people’s representatives. Above all, through every successful and practical election, the agreement of the democratic rights of the citizens with the state and the government, and the people’s ownership relationship with the renewed state deepens. Political parties in favor of democracy, including BNP, are vocal about holding national elections in order to establish people’s ownership in the state.
In his speech as president, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the reform proposals in various sectors have already reached the political parties. I request you to observe these in depth and give your opinion. So that we can move forward with everyone.
Mirza Fakhrul also said that unity is very necessary at this moment. Resolve problems through discussion. He also promised to implement the party’s 31 points if BNP is elected by the people’s vote. There is no alternative to going the path of democracy. The BNP Secretary General said, I am clearly talking about early elections because a government elected by the people can be formed. The elected government will make necessary reforms.
National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam said, fascist forces and their allies still remain in Bangladesh in various places. As we have said, the fascist system must be changed. No matter who takes over the leadership of Bangladesh in the future, a changed system is needed. He said, one thing is being said that participatory elections (inclusive elections), I think there is a political party or faction in Bangladesh that is capable of holding a participatory election, representing the people of the country. I will also make this appeal to the political parties so that we can come to a political consensus on this issue. We have always expected a Bangladesh where there will be differences of opinion, policy differences, criticism among the political forces. But everyone will be able to sit together and discuss for the benefit of the country and the people. We think that political unity will prevail in the current environment and situation.
Jamaat Naib-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Md. Taher said, Bangladesh is moving forward in the midst of a test today. We achieved a huge success on August 5. The root of it was the unity of all classes of people. I think that national unity will still be the most powerful tool to build a beautiful and prosperous state in the future of Bangladesh. Keeping this unity, we will definitely try to implement what is needed from each place. On behalf of Jamaat, I request everyone for national unity on four points. One. Independence and sovereignty in Bangladesh, there will be no compromise here, two. A sustainable democracy, three. A fair election, four. A corruption-free Bangladesh.
Leaders of BNP’s like-minded parties and alliances including Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolan, Nagorik Mancha, and others participated in the Iftar Mahfil organized by BNP. In addition, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col. (retd) Oli Ahmed, Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Md. Taher, Jatiya Party (JAFAR) Chairman Mustafa Jamal Haider, Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gana Sanghati Andolon Chief Coordinator Jonayed Saki, Gana Adhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam, Bangladesh JSD President Sharif Nurul Ambia, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andalib Rahman Partho, Bangladesh Biplobi Workers Party Political Council Member Bohnishikha Jamali, JSD Senior Vice President Tania Rob, AB Party Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju, General Secretary Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, Gono Forum Presidium Member Subrata Chowdhury, Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Abdur Rakib, BLDP President Shahdat Hossain Selim, Bangladesh Jatiya Dal Chairman Syed Ehsanul Huda, NPP Chairman Dr. Fariduzzaman Farhad, Chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Movement Bobby Hajjaj, Chairman of the Bangladesh Labor Party Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran, Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Nasir Uddin Patwary, Chief Organizer (Northern Region) of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Sarjis Alam and other leaders of various parties were present.
Among the BNP leaders, the party’s standing committee members Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Begum Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Vice Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu, Abdul Awal Mintu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Dr. Asaduzzaman Ripon, Chairperson’s Advisor Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Chairperson’s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Acting Chairman’s Advisor Dr. Mahdi Amin, Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and leaders of the party’s affiliate organizations were present at the iftar.
At the end of the iftar, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque led a special prayer for the well-being of the country and the nation. This iftar arrangement became an important platform for political dialogue and unity.
