Staff Reporter: On August 5, 2024, BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman called upon all democratic forces to remain united to prevent any resurgence of defeated powers following the student-people uprising. He made this appeal on Thursday through a statement on Facebook, marking December 6 as the Fall of Autocracy Day.
In his statement, Tarique Rahman said, “December 6 is a remarkable day in our national history. On this day in 1990, after nine years of blood-soaked movements, the autocratic regime was overthrown.
On March 24, 1982, Ershad violated his oath of office and professional integrity by ousting the elected President Justice Sattar at gunpoint, undermining democracy and halting constitutional politics through martial law. The constitutional politics initiated by the great proclaimer of independence, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, which promoted multi-party and pluralistic democracy, was stifled.
Autocratic Hussain Muhammad Ershad turned democratic institutions into ruins. Under the uncompromising leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia, a prolonged mass movement eventually led to the defeat of the autocrat on December 6, 1990, through the united strength of students and the public, thus liberating democracy. In the spirit of that hard-earned democracy, on August 5, 2024, the students and the masses once again defeated a ferocious fascist force. The fascist Awami League was a terrible enemy of democracy. After the end of Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian misrule, we must continue our relentless struggle to fully restore democracy and establish democratic values in the state and society.
During Sheikh Hasina’s regime, ‘Mother of Democracy’ Begum Khaleda Zia endured imprisonment, oppression, and multifaceted persecution. The nationalist forces of the country faced brutal repression, with millions of activists subjected to relentless oppression, turning the entire country into a suffocating prison.
On this day, I pay deep respect to the memory of the brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the anti-autocracy movement from 1982 to 1990, and I pray for the forgiveness of their souls. On this memorable day of democracy’s restoration, I extend my greetings and congratulations to the people who participated in the anti-autocracy movement and upheld democracy.
The autocratic Ershad’s party joined forces with Awami fascism for sixteen years, continually stripping away the rule of law, judicial independence, and fundamental human rights. They erased the provision for a neutral, non-partisan caretaker government from the constitution. On August 5, the massive wave of students and the public thwarted this malevolent power. I call upon democratic forces to remain united to ensure such a defeated power does not rise again.”*
