Govt celebrating Golden Jubilee without people: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the government is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence keeping people and freedom fighters "away".

"The government is celebrating the Golden Jubilee without people as it's become isolated from them. The freedom fighters have no place in the government's Golden Jubilee celebration programmes. Even, political parties have no presence there," he said.

The BNP leader said only foreign guests are coming to Bangladesh to celebrate the Golden Jubilee and they are being told and shown that the country is on the crest of development.

Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting BNP joint secretary general Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel at Holy Family Hospital in the city. Shoel has been receiving treatment at the hospital as he was injured during a clash with police in front of the Jatiya Press Club on February 28.

He said their party must welcome the foreign friends and heads of governments of five countries to Golden Jubilee celebrations.

But the BNP leader voiced anger as the government has "restricted" them from holding the programmes their party has taken to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Independence on the "pretext of foreign guests' presence. People's movement is also being obstructed."

The BNP leader questioned the purpose of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Bangladesh.

"Is the Indian Prime Minister coming here to celebrate the Golden Jubilee, or is he coming to carry out a campaign for the West Bengal Assembly elections? We're getting such an indication from Indian newspapers and our local newspapers," he observed.

Referring to media reports, Fakhrul said the main purpose of his visit is to see the temples of their followers as part of a move to appease the voters in West Bengal.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on March 26 on a two-day visit to join the celebrations of 50 years of Bangladesh's independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He is also scheduled to visit Bangabandhu Memorial in Tungipara and Orakandi, a sacred shrine of the Matua community in Gopalganj, and another temple in Sathkhira.

Fakhrul said their party has long been saying the unsettled issues, including a fair share of the waters of common rivers and border killing, should be resolved to improve further the bilateral ties with India. "It should also be clear to people about what we're gaining from increasing the connectivity."

The BNP leader said their party thinks border killings should be stopped immediately as it is an inhuman act. "The government cannot solve this problem though it says it has a very strong friendship with India."

He said the government has given India the share of water of the Feni River unilaterally, though it has failed to sign any deal over the sharing of water of the Teesta River. "A bridge is also being built for connectivity. But there's no solution to our basic problems."

Fakhrul said their party still hopes that the government will solve the problems of the country's millions of people by presenting their demands in the right way."