BNP leader Khairul Kabir Khokon has criticized the ruling Awami League, calling its leaders “refugee freedom fighters.”

He claimed that while Ziaur Rahman announced independence and fought on the battlefield, Awami League members fled to India and lived in luxury hotels during the 1971 Liberation War.

Khokon emphasized that the people of Bangladesh must decide through elections which government will serve them best. He also highlighted ongoing economic hardships, stating that 72% of Bangladeshis cannot afford nutritious food, while 42% live below the poverty line, and 35% struggle to eat two meals a day.