The Awami League-led government has been destroying the country's democratic institutions to establish a one-party rule, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said today.

"They [AL] destroyed the Parliament, the judiciary, the administration, and the media in order to establish a one-party rule. They are destroying everything to establish one person's rule," he said at a greeting exchange programme between leaders of the BNP and the Hindu communities in Dhaka on Tuesday (19 September)

"Like monsters, they are destroying all of Bangladesh," he said at the programme held marking the occasion of Janmashtami at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan.

Speaking as chief guest at the event, Fakhrul said, "We are facing a difficult situation. In 1971, we fought and liberated the country.

"Our goal then was to establish a democratic state. Today, they [AL] have destroyed that democracy and taken away our rights."

"Today, it is our responsibility to protect this country. It is not only the BNP's movement. It is a movement of all people," he added.

The people of Bangladesh are uniting today to protect their existence, to protect the freedom of Bangladesh, and to protect the civil rights of every person, said the BNP secretary general.

Acting Chairman of BNP Tarique Rahman gave a virtual speech in the exchange of greetings.

BNP Standing Committee members Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moin Khan, Vice Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Gano Forum General Secretary Subrata Chowdhury, Hindu Buddhist Christian Welfare Front President Bijan Kanti Sarkar and others gave speeches on the occasion.