BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday clarified that a misconception has taken hold in some quarters that the party is solely focused on elections and not on reforms.
“We have been sincere about reforms from the very beginning. Unfortunately, we’re now hearing statements that the BNP does not want reforms, but only elections. This is not correct,” he told a dialogue.
The Forum for Bangladesh Studies organised the dialogue titled 'Unity, Reform, Election' at the Krishibid Institution in the capital.
Fakhrul said that the BNP is committed to participating in the elections only after necessary reforms are carried out to ensure a free, fair and credible voting process.
“We keep talking about elections because it’s the main gateway to democracy and the democratic process,” he asserted.
Describing the BNP's sincerity regarding reforms, he mentioned that their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia presented Vision 2030 in 2016, outlining several reforms, including ensuring a balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister, limiting any individual to serving as Prime Minister for no more than two terms and introducing a bicameral parliament.
He said BNP also unveiled a 31-point reform proposal after consulting with other democratic political parties, who had joined the movement against fascism, in 2022.
“Our main problem is that there is no democratic practice here, and no democratic culture has been developed. Without a democratic culture, there will be repeated calls for reform,” the BNP leader said.
He also pointed out that it would not be possible to achieve any meaningful progress by imposing changes from above without a democratic culture and structure in place.
“The real problem is, who will implement these things (reforms)? Your administration and your government machinery are still completely under (the influence of) fascism,” Fakhrul observed.
He said democracy would only succeed in Bangladesh if proper structures are built and institutions are fixed and made suitable for democratic processes.
The BNP leader also emphasised the need to change the mindset of people in order to accept and adapt to the evolving situation and system. "We have to practise democracy for developing that mindset. There’ll be mistakes, there’ll be errors... through this, you have to take the bureaucracy and system forward," he said.
Fakhrul said the nation needs to remember the sacrifices of the people for the country’s Liberation War in 1971 and the subsequent democratic movements.
"I need to say another important thing that we should never forget 1971. We need to remember each and every one of the continuous struggles for democracy since 1971. Through that struggles, through the sacrifices of the students, we have reached the position we are in now," he said.
The BNP leader assured that their party is always in favour of necessary reforms to make democracy stronger and more functional. "We have worked for that and will continue to do so in the future. At the same time, we think that nothing should be imposed from above by excluding the people. We have to prepare the people. We want to do these things together with everyone.”
He said the questions regarding unity, reform, and elections are arising now, as Bangladesh is going through a very complicated political period.
"It’s unfortunate for us as a nation that, even after 53 years of independence, we still have to discuss these issues. It would have been better if we could have worked on these matters from the beginning and moved forward," Fakhrul said.
He called upon the different commissions formed by the government to ensure public engagement in the reform process. "Please, create mechanisms for the interaction with the people."
The BNP leader said the government-formed reform commissions will submit their proposals to the government, after which the government will sit with the political parties. "If they (the commission) had sat with the political parties first, I think it would have been more effective and better."
He said it will now take time to finalise the reform proposals, as the government will discuss the matter with political parties. "In our opinion, the longer the time passes, the problems will increase further."