<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party leaders and activists have taken a fresh vow to resist the hegemonic forces in a bid to protect democracy, the country’s independence and sovereignty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Talking to reporters at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, he also expressed the hope that the interim government would be able to arrange the national election within a proper and reasonable timeframe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We made a vow on November 7, after paying homage to Ziaur Rahman, that we will resist fascism together with people. We will launch a strong movement, if necessary, to protect democracy and preserve the country's independence and sovereignty," Fakhrul said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also expressed the confidence that the people of Bangladesh would unite to reinforce the spirit of the student-led revolution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, Fakhrul, accompanied by thousands of leaders and activists, placed wreaths and offered fathea at the grave of Ziaur Rahman, marking ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’. The day commemorates the ‘civil-military uprising’ of November 7, 1975.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On this day in 1975, during a period of political unrest, soldiers and civilians jointly freed then-Chief of Army Staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka Cantonment, clearing the way for him to assume power.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fakhrul said the fascist Awami League government had repeatedly plotted and resorted to repressive actions to eliminate the BNP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He alleged that the Awami League had falsely implicated 60 lakh people, subjected around 700 to enforced disappearance and killed several thousand others in its efforts to establish a one-party rule and fascism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But by the grace of Allah, fascism and hegemonic forces have been defeated for the third time in Bangladesh through the student-led mass movement in 2024,” Fakhrul added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In response to a question, Fakhrul said the interim government indeed played an effective role over the past three months.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“They have done many things and continue to do so. If we all cooperate with them, they will be able to hold the election at the appropriate and logical time to meet the challenges facing the nation,” the BNP leader said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>