Acting Secretary General of BNP and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today said people will resist all sorts of attempts to destroy the democratic environment of the country.
“Attempts are being made to create anarchy across the country in a planned manner, but people will resist all those attempts,” he said at a discussion marking the National Revolution and Solidarity Day at North South University (NSU) in Bashundhara in the capital.
The BNP acting secretary general said no initiative lacking public support could survive, BSS reported.
Highlighting the significance of November 7, Rizvi said a revolution became inevitable when people were pushed against the wall and their avenues for moving forward became increasingly narrowed.
He said soldiers and civilians took to the streets out of a sense of national consciousness, and a desire to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty against hegemonic forces emerged on November 7, 1975.
He said the revolution had restored multiparty democracy and freedom of expression in the country. In continuation of the same spirit, people had also risen against autocracy in 1990 and fascist rulers in 2024.
Citing historical examples, the BNP leader said many renowned philosophers and writers in Germany had supported fascism during Adolf Hitler’s rule. Similarly, many well-known intellectuals in Bangladesh had worked in favour of the previous authoritarian regime.
Rizvi said eminent writer and intellectual Badruddin Umar was not allowed to return to university for teaching after independence.
“The true purpose of education lies in conscience, humanity and standing up for the truth during difficult times,” he said.
The discussion was chaired by North South University Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury.
Noted economist and National Prof Dr. Mahbub Ullah addressed the event as the keynote speaker.