BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, speaking at a prayer gathering for Begum Khaleda Zia’s 81st birthday, criticized Sheikh Hasina’s government as oppressive. He said, “We saw reforms under the Fakhruddin-Moinuddin government, but after that came Hasina’s monstrous regime. Democracy was murdered; countless BNP leaders, including Ilias Ali, Chowdhury Alam, Zakir, and Suman, were disappeared or killed, and the economy destroyed.” Rizvi emphasized that BNP supports necessary reforms and called for elections to occur on their announced schedule. He praised Begum Khaleda Zia as a symbol of national independence and sovereignty, saying her leadership has inspired efforts to challenge the current government.