BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said he was left ‘deeply saddened’ after learning about the recent arrest of five coordinators of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) on charges of extortion.

“When I saw it in the newspaper, I felt as if I had turned blue with pain. I saw that five coordinators were arrested by the police for forcibly extorting Tk 50 lakh from the house of a former MP,” he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while formally inaugurating Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal’s month-long programme in front of the National Museum in the capital’s Shahbagh area, marking the first anniversary of the July Uprising.

He also expressed concern about the country’s future, saying it was alarming to see the youths who led the mass uprising now being involved in such alleged wrongdoing.

“Is this the outcome we hoped for? Did anyone in this country want this? If such things are happening so soon --not even a year has passed --then what is our future? Dear fellow comrades (leaders and activists of Jubo Dal), I am saying these words because the whole country is now looking towards you,” the BNP leader said.

He said it was the young men and women who brought the changes --who brought down Hasina’s rule and drove her out of power and out of the country. “It is these very young people who now have to rebuild this country. It is they who must shape the future of a beautiful Bangladesh based on fairness, justice and humanity.”

Fakhrul also lamented that even after one year they are still unable to say loudly and confidently that they are ready to rebuild the country anew.

“Our leader, Tarique Rahman, from far away, has been guiding us day and night, 24 hours a day. He has been trying to organise us. After encouraging us to take part in the movement to overthrow the fascists, he is now working hard to figure out how to rebuild Bangladesh,” he said.

Fakhrul highlighted the oppression and torture faced by BNP leaders and activists under the fascist Awami League government over the past 15 years.

He said BNP leaders and workers were severely tortured — their veins were cut, hands broken and many beaten and hung. “Even our junior leader (Sultan Salahuddin) Tuku was not spared.”

Despite facing severe torture, Fakhrul said no one of the BNP leaders and workers ever gave any undertaking or surrendered.

The BNP leader expressed disappointment that journalists did not publish pictures of the victims belonging to their party. “I would like to urge journalists to please call a spade a spade and recognise everyone’s respective contributions.”

He also mentioned that during the July movement, 79 members of Jubo Dal and 142 members of the Chhatra Dal were martyred.

On August 5 last year, Fakhrul said, the entire nation came out onto the streets — not just a few political parties or students, but people of all ages, from children to elderly people in their nineties.

He pointed out that more than 2,000 people lost their lives and many were maimed or blinded. “Their one clear goal was to remove the fascist Hasina from power and establish a democratic system and a just society in the country.”

Fakhrul said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent to a deserted prison on false charges and she sacrificed everything for democracy in the country. “But nobody now talks about these issues anymore.”

He also warned that those trying to pressure and trap the BNP would not succeed in their attempts.

The BNP leader alleged that the interim government, which talks about reform every moment, is trying to blame political parties by indirectly suggesting that they are not cooperating.

He denied this, saying the BNP is constantly cooperating with the reform efforts and wants to work with everyone.

Fakhrul also questioned why the trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has not yet started, despite nearly a year passing since the July mass uprising.

“It has been one year, so why hasn’t Hasina’s trial fully started yet? The BBC has released audio recordings showing that those who openly carried out the killings were ordered by Hasina to shoot and use lethal weapons. This matter has still not come to trial,” he said.