BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in his first public statement since returning from a medical trip to Singapore, has said that Bangladesh is confronting a deep-rooted political and economic crisis, and spoken out on the conflict in Gaza.

“We assemble here for iftar at the time when the country is under the curse of the ongoing fascist regime,” the BNP leader said, adding: “The world on January 7 saw not an election in Bangladesh but a disgrace for a nation’s aspirations.”

Mirza Fakhrul was speaking at an iftar mahfil organized by BNP for the foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Sunday.

Notably, the BNP on Sunday opined for the first time on the conflict that has been raging in the Middle East with Israel’s assault on Gaza following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel last October 7.

“We are all deeply concerned about the Israeli forces’ offensive. We call on the international community and United Nations to take immediate measures to stop the genocide. We believe in the 2-state solution as the only answer to the crisis.”

Mirza Fakhrul said they value the international community’s support to BNP’s struggle for the restoration of rights and freedom for the people of Bangladesh, which he said can be ensured through an election under a neutral and non-party government.

“Unless and until we achieve that, perhaps our peaceful and non-violent movement has to continue,” he said.