Different political parties on Friday observed Autocracy Resistance Day to mark the day of the fall of autocratic ruler HM Ershad.
On December 6, 1990, military dictator HM Ershad stepped down in the face of a mass upsurge and handed power over to a caretaker government, ending his nine years of rule which began with his coup on March 24, 1982.
This year the political parties observed the day with the aspiration of democratic transition of the country after the fall of fascist Sheikh Hasina government amid student-led mass uprising on August 5.
The political parties urged the interim government headed by Professor Muhammad Yunus to hold a free, fair and credible election as early as possible for democratic transition in the country.
DUCSU-90 and All Party Students Unity organised a discussion at the National Press Club to mark the day where Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said that after the fall of fascist Sheikh Hasina, scope for a democratic transition had been created in the country.
He called on the interim government to hold next general elections as early as possible for democratic transition of the country.
Marking the day of the Fall of Dictatorship and the Restoration of Democracy on Friday, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday night in a statement urged all democratic forces to remain united so that the defeated powers do not rise again.
He characterised the Awami League as a tyrannical adversary of democracy.
Tarique said, 鈥楢fter bringing an end to the fascist Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 autocratic regime, we must pursue our relentless struggle to fully restore democracy and embed democratic values in both the state and society.鈥�
鈥楾he autocratic Ershad-led Jatiya Party, in alliance with the AL, supported fascism for sixteen years, during which time, the rule of law, judicial independence, and fundamental human rights were repeatedly violated in the country,鈥� he said.
鈥楾hey removed the neutral, non-partisan caretaker government system from the constitution,鈥� he said.
Tarique recounted how Ershad, on the聽 March 24, 1982, betrayed his professional duty and oath by ousting elected president Justice Sattar at gunpoint, thereby destroying democracy, imposing martial law, and derailing constitutional politics.
He accused Ershad of undermining democratic institutions, mentioning that on December 6, 1990, democracy was reclaimed with the combined strength of students and the people, concluding the defeat of dictatorship after a nine years mass movement led by Khaleda Zia.
The BNP leader also said the students and the people once again triumphed over a violent fascist force on August 5, 2024 through a mas uprising.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also issued a statement on Thursday urging for establishing democratic values in the country so that fascism cannot rise again in Bangladesh.