BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Monday that cooperating with the interim government is a national duty, particularly in the face of ‘ongoing conspiracies’ aimed at undermining Bangladesh’s democratic progress.

“Unfortunately, those who previously deprived the people of their rights are now trying to foil the victory from outside… staying in India after fleeing the country,” Fakhrul stated during a press briefing following a meeting with Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus at his residence in Dhaka.

He accused these forces of attempting to disrupt the peace and progress achieved through the student and public movements. “In the current situation, every patriotic citizen must cooperate with the [interim] government,” Fakhrul added, assuring that his party would fully support the government’s efforts to maintain stability and safeguard the nation’s interests.

Addressing concerns about minority rights, Fakhrul dismissed what he called “fabricated stories” of oppression against minorities, describing them as part of a calculated effort to tarnish the country’s image and weaken the interim government.

Fakhrul also urged the government to take decisive action against those responsible for past atrocities, asserting that “justice must be served.”

When asked about the timing of the next national election, Fakhrul responded, “We did not discuss the election. It will take time to create an environment conducive to elections, and we have given them that time.”

Following the BNP’s meeting, Dr Yunus also sat in separate meetings with leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami.

The BNP delegation, led by Fakhrul, included senior party members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salauddin Ahmed, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Selima Rahman.

Other political parties, including AB Party, Islami Andolan, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), are also scheduled to meet with the Chief Advisor, sources said.