BNP doesn't believe unelected government will 'reform the state' – Bangladesh Diplomat

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is hoping for a quick dialogue for the elections. He does not believe that a few people in an unelected government will 'reform the state'.

Mirza Fakhrul has asked the interim government to discuss the elections 'very quickly'. Dr. Muhammad Yunus also asked for a roadmap on what he wants to do.

He made this demand in a discussion at the National Press Club on Saturday on the ninth death anniversary of Prime Minister Kazi Zafar Ahmed during the military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad's government.

The BNP leader said, 'I want to emphasize on the election. This is the reform that is coming, always coming, the election is very important for that reform. How will that come about? It will come through an elected parliament, it must come through them. There is no alternative. So I don't believe that a few people made a reformation. I believe that reform should come through people's participation.

Dr. Fakhrul expressed high expectations for the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus and said, 'We think they will arrange elections within a reasonable time. We have confidence in this government, people have confidence, everyone has confidence. But it must be done within a limited time, within a period, within a reasonable time. Otherwise the purpose for which it is intended will be completely defeated.'

BNP Secretary General said, 'I would like to reiterate that we expect this interim government to work on how to speed up an election and make the necessary reforms by discussing with the political parties to meet the needs of the people as soon as possible. .'

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, Army Chief General Waqar Uz-Zaman and then the President at Bangabhaban. After meeting with Sahabuddin, Fakhrul asked for election within 90 days.

On August 15, Mirza Fakhrul told a party rally in Naya Paltan that they would support the interim government as long as they were in favor of democracy.

Two days later, the BNP rally in Nayapaltan demanded an election at the earliest.

BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman joined the gathering virtually from the UK and said, 'The ultimate goal of this bloody revolution of the students is a democratic Bangladesh without discrimination. Therefore, national elections should be held as soon as possible to implement the goals of the revolution. Power should be transferred to elected representatives at the earliest.'

However, on August 8, Dr. Yunus is not talking about holding elections in 90 days as per the provisions of the constitution. The advisers are not giving any indication about the duration of the government. No one is giving an explanation as to how the 90-day period in the Constitution can be ignored.

Mirza Fakhrul had a meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at the Rashtriya Guest House Yamuna on August 12 and said, 'We did not talk about the election today. As we have said before, you know that it will take a certain amount of time to create a suitable environment for elections. We certainly gave them that time. We have supported them in all matters.'

BNP has apparently withdrawn from its demand for elections within 90 days. They have been talking about giving more time to the government.

However, Fakhrul's speech changed a bit in the Naya Paltan rally on August 15. On the day of the fall of the government and the elections, he said, 'This is the result of the students' government and the students' movement. We will support them as long as they are in favor of democracy, they hand over power democratically.'

Meanwhile, besides demanding elections, the BNP leader also demanded to give a roadmap on what the interim government wants to do. He said, 'We believe that all those who are working in the interim government are sincere, qualified people. But we want to see it more visible. We want to see that the chief adviser will very soon present to the people what he wants to do. Give a roadmap on how he will organize the elections very soon, how he will make the necessary reforms and give relief to the people and move forward for the elections.'

Besides, Fakhrul also wanted a dialogue with the interim government. Stating that the Yunus government has not really had any agenda-based discussions with the political parties, he said, 'It will not happen without politics, the views of the political parties must be brought. The place where they are sitting, this is the place of politics of the interim government. Because everything in the country will be officially run from here. So those who are doing politics must have an exchange of views.'

He said, 'Our request to the student leaders who are collaborating today is to take these issues very seriously… to consolidate this revolution, not counter-revolution. They have to be aware of the fact that the talk of conspiracy that is already emerging among us can be resisted, we can defeat them and keep the spirit of revolution alive and move forward towards a democratic Bangladesh.'

Mirza Fakhrul also demanded that all the secretaries of the Sheikh Hasina government be removed from the administration.

He said, “We don't want to see those people who have been by Hasina's side, with her, as her 'friends' and have 'tortured, looted, smuggled money abroad' on people, around the interim government. When we see pictures in newspapers of these people reconnecting and meeting various important people, we get worried.”

Fakhrul said, “We are very worried, today it has been 16-17 days, till now all the secretaries who have run that government for so long, given all their 'bad ideas', are still performing the duties of the secretary of this government… We don't want to see that. We want to see those in this bureaucracy who are pro-people, who are in touch with the people, law-abiding, on the side of this government immediately.”

Without saying these words, BNP Secretary General said, “I am forced to say because we cannot see them (the claims raised). So far no vice chancellors have been appointed in universities, while previous vice chancellors have resigned. We want to see that vice chancellors are appointed who are acceptable to all.”

Addressing the government, Fakhrul said, 'We want to see that they are very aware of law and order control. I have given them all support in this regard.

Chairman of the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) Mustafa Jamal Haider, President of Nagrik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna, JSD General Secretary Shaheed Uddin Mahmud Swapan, BNP's Noor Mohsmad Khan, Zaheer Uddin in the discussion chaired by Bhasani Anusari Parishad convener Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu and moderated by member secretary Abu Yusuf Selim. Swapan, Najmul Haque Nannu, economist Mahbub Ullah too.