Don’t Open 'Shops' Using Zia Parishad’s Name: Mirza Fakhrul Warns Party Activists

Speaking at a discussion seminar held at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University on Saturday afternoon, May 2, 2026, Fakhrul criticized the trend of "opening shops" (personal-interest groups) under the banner of the party and its late founder. He emphasized that the BNP already has sufficient wings and associate organizations, and there is no need for any new entities. Specifically addressing Zia Parishad, he lamented that many are using the name to reap personal benefits and urged everyone to refrain from such exploitative practices.

The BNP Secretary General called for a shift from using Ziaur Rahman’s ideology as a mere political slogan to focusing on academic research. He remarked that the nation needs research-oriented institutions to properly document and utilize the late President's contributions. Fakhrul noted that while Zia Parishad has published a few books under his personal insistence, he expects them and similar bodies to engage in much deeper scholarly work to preserve the party's historical legacy and vision.

Reflecting on the irregularities of the past 15 years, the Minister slammed the previous regime for institutionalizing a "lobbying culture" where no work could be done without personal recommendations or Tadbir. He pointed out that even the appointment of Vice-Chancellors had become a matter of lobbying, which he described as a disgrace to the nation. He made it clear that progress is impossible without merit and intelligence, asserting that the current government is actively working to dismantle this culture of favoritism and replace it with a merit-based system.

On the topic of constitutional reform and the "July Charter," Mirza Fakhrul stated that while the BNP was involved in every stage of the process, the party maintained a "Note of Dissent" on certain issues. He specifically mentioned disagreements regarding the Proportional Representation (PR) system for the Upper House and the methodology of the Constitutional Reform Commission. He firmly reiterated the party's stance that any fundamental changes or reforms to the Constitution must be channeled through the Parliament and should never be exploited for narrow political interests.