Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said, "Our democratic struggle has concluded, but we have failures in moving the country ahead with unity."

"Though our democratic battle has concluded, failures in our battle for unity still remains," he said while speaking as the chief guest at the Golden Jubilee and Honours Ceremony of the Department of Economics of Dinajpur Govt College on Friday.

He said the country`s existing political parties are engaged in opposing and working against each other. "We, the political parties, have been opposing each other. We talk about democracy, but don`t exercise it," he said.

Mirza Fakhrul also observed that fascism first wins an election and then seizes all powers of the state to consolidate its authority.

Criticising the previous Awami League government, Mirza Fakhrul said, "All of our resources have been smuggled out of the country after looting. Awami League government had siphoned of over 280 billion dollars over the last 15 years. But, they were the people of this country. They came to power through politics. But they had established fascism. They had created a reign of terror grabbing all powers and the state. We have now come out of it. We will transform Bangladesh into a democratic state anew."

The BNP Secretary General has lamented saying that the nation had passed through a very tragic period as voters could not cast their ballots as long as 15 years. "Over the past 15 years, the younger generations have been deprived of their right to vote," he said.

The BNP leader said, "Our sons have laid down their lives. Our political activists sacrificed their lives. Our political activists went through inhuman and intolerable torture and repression for a long time. 700-800 political leaders and workers became the victims of enforced disappearances. More than 60 lakh opposition activists were sued by false cases. Hundreds of leaders and workers were killed without trials. We have overcome that suffocating situation. A new possibility has created. But, I don`t know why we cannot rise above narrowness. Let us come together and rise above the narrowness. Let us find out a clear, true and beautiful path. Let us materialize the dream together we had dreamt. We want to get united and transform Bangladesh into a democratic state"

Presided over by Professor Zaheda Parvin, Chairman of the Department of Economics, the event was also addressed by Dinajpur Government College Principal AKM Al Abdullah, former Principal of Thakurgaon Government College ANM Golam Rabbani, former Principal of Dinajpur Government Mohila College Abdul Jabbar and former Principal of Pirganj Government College Abdur Rahman.

The chief guest, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, was honoured with floral tributes and a crest by various departments of the college.

Earlier, he inaugurated the event by releasing balloons. The program was attended by teachers, students, and BNP leaders and activists from various levels in the district.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir taught at the Department of Economics at Dinajpur Government College from 1972 to 1978.