Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said the government wants to work together with the opposition to address any political crisis, including the implementation of the July Charter.

“The opposition must play a strong role in making democracy function effectively. But unfortunately, the opposition has started speaking the language of the Awami League,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul, also BNP Secretary General, made the remarks while addressing, as the chief guest, a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the National Press Club on the occasion of the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising. 

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, MP attended the programme as the special guest.

Mirza Fakhrul said many people had joined movements under the leadership of late former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia to establish democracy in the country, sacrificing their lives, losing their eyesight and becoming permanently disabled.

He said fascism had been ousted through immense sacrifices and BNP, as a liberal democratic party, honours the sacrifices of leaders and activists of all political parties irrespective of their affiliations.

He said 125,000 false cases had been filed against lakhs of BNP leaders and activists during the struggle to establish democracy. 

Party leaders and activists had been detained in jail without trial, while 20,000 leaders and activists, including Ilias Ali, had been subjected to enforced disappearance and killing, he said.

He added that Begum Khaleda Zia had been kept imprisoned for a long time in false cases, while the current Prime Minister had remained in exile for 18 years.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the longstanding movement achieved its final victory in July 2024 when fascist Hasina was ousted from power, adding that the sacrifices made in July had created the opportunity to elect a democratic government.

Reaffirming that BNP would honour all the commitments it had made regarding the implementation of the July Charter, he said the opposition's proposals for constitutional amendments would be discussed in parliament and that BNP is committed to rebuilding the state through constitutional procedures.

He alleged that the opposition was speaking the language of the Awami League and that a section was carrying out propaganda against BNP over the implementation of the July Charter. "This is not right. A completely false impression is being created," he said.

Mirza Fakhrul rejected the allegations, saying BNP is the party that has carried out reforms. Whenever dictators destroyed state institutions in the country, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia restored them, he added.

He said BNP introduced the caretaker government system to ensure elections under a neutral administration and also paved the way for a free-market economy to accelerate economic development.

He said bringing the private sector to the forefront was another achievement of BNP. Now, he added, the new challenge is to rebuild the country by reforming the damaged economy.

After 17 to 18 years of fascism and plunder, a new state structure must be built, he said, adding that whenever the country's state institutions, politics and economy had been destroyed, BNP had rebuilt them.

Referring to the debate over a referendum, Mirza Fakhrul said the BNP had reached agreement on three issues, while differences had arisen over one proposal of the Constitution Reform Commission. 

BNP had already explained its position to the people and had received a mandate from voters, he added.

"We are now in government and we are trying  . . . We want to implement every word of the July Charter that we signed. Many works have already been completed. A July Amendment Committee has been formed in parliament and discussions have begun. Even the debate over wording will also be reformed," he said.

Calling for dialogue, he said, "Let us discuss these issues in parliament. Let us discuss and decide where solutions are possible. We will do that."

Mirza Fakhrul urged the opposition parties to give the government time and opportunity so it could fulfill its commitments.

"Only five months and a few days have passed. It is not possible to expect everything to be completed properly within this period," he said.

BFUJ President Obaidur Rahman Shaheen delivered the welcome address at the discussion, while BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury presented the keynote paper.

With DUJ President Md Shahidul Islam in the chair, General Secretary Khurshid Alam moderated it. 

Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, National Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, eminent Journalist and Editor of Dainik Pratidiner Bangladesh Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, and Jugantor Editor Abdul Hai Shikder, among others, attended the discussion.

Former DUJ President Elahi Newaz Khan Saju, DUJ Vice-President Rashedul Haque, Joint Secretary Md Didarul Alam Didar, Organising Secretary Sayeed Khan, BFUJ Publicity Secretary Shahjahan Saju, Organising Secretary Erfanul Haque Nahid and leaders of different journalists' organisations were also present.