BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today spoke at Bangla Academy’s Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium in the capital. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, July 8, 2025 (BSS) – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today suggested omission of the practice of using a word “honourable” as label for certain office bearers like the prime minister or parliamentary speaker.

“I think the very seed of autocracy is sown in this particular word (honourable),” he told the concluding ceremony of a debate competition at Bangla Academy’s Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium in the capital.

He made the suggestion referring to the use of the word at the beginning of a mock debate that marked the beginning of the concluding ceremony of the competition titled “Civil Discourse National: 2025” jointly staged by the Bangladesh Dialogue and Dhaka College Debating Society.

“Can’t we omit the word ‘honourable’ mentioned to address the prime minister or the speaker?,” Alamgir said.

The elderly politician said since its emergence Bangladesh unfortunately never saw the proper practice of democracy “possibly because of the legacy of Pakistani politics”.

“For a very brief period the (proper) democracy (however) was in practice, but then we deviated from that course,” he commented.

Alamgir commented democracy is meant to accommodate diversified opinions and debates and disagreements.

“I may not agree with someone, but I will give my life for his or her right to express their opinion. This is what we believe in. We believe in this liberal democracy (and) this is what true democracy is,” he said.

The BNP secretary general added: “This is what we believe in. We believe in this liberal democracy. We believe that I must have the freedom to speak, and you must also have the freedom to speak.”

Alamgir expressed his satisfaction with the activities of the current youth saying many pessimists prefer to say nothing good would happen.

“Our young people have now gone much ahead of us. I have become very optimistic; many things will definitely happen. We will stand tall in Bangladesh,” he said.

Member BNP's Foreign Affairs Committee Israfil Khosru, Barrister Roshna Imam and Dhaka College Prinsipal Professor AKM Elias, among others, were present at the event.