I must have freedom to speak, and so must you: Fakhrul

“Many said that nothing would happen here. That’s not true. I am very hopeful. Many things will happen, and we will surely be able to stand proud in Bangladesh, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He said, “There are arguments, debates, and differences of opinion. We believe that I must have the freedom to speak, and you must have the freedom to speak too. That is what real democracy is.”

Fakhrul made the remarks at the closing ceremony of “Civil Discourse Nationals-2025” held at the Bangla Academy on Tuesday.

The Dhaka College Debating Society and the Bangladesh Dialogue jointly organised the event.

BNP secretary general said, “Unfortunately, democracy has never been properly practised in Bangladesh. Even during the Pakistan era, democratic practices were lacking. Although there was a brief period of democratic exercise, we later deviated from that path.”

“This morning, I felt disheartened seeing a survey that revealed only 1.87 percent of Bangladeshi youth are interested in politics. However, after coming here, I feel more hopeful. Our youth are more capable and can play a greater role in nation-building,” added the BNP leader.