BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday said the formation of the Election Commission is an important step towards establishing an elected parliament and government.
“The interim government has already reconstituted the Election Commission. We believe this is a significant step towards forming an elected parliament and government, with representatives chosen through the people's votes,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while addressing the annual general meeting of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the Jatiya Press Club.
Tarique said it is a kind of reality that the recent mass uprising did not take place just for an election.
“On the other hand, another harsh reality is that the fugitive dictator managed to establish fascism in the country by repeatedly forming governments without elections, rendering the people politically powerless. So, election is certainly a key issue in establishing people's rights in democratic political practice," he observed.
He also said the election is necessary to empower the people and restore their ownership of the country.
Tarique said that the state system should be structured in such a way that all public representatives, from union councils to parliament, are elected directly by the people in order to prevent the rise of fascism.
He said it is essential to ensure voting rights for all citizens without any discrimination to build a Bangladesh free from discrepancy.
No conflict With Govt over Reforms
Tarique claimed that the BNP has no conflict with the interim government over the issue of reforms.
He, however, said a vested group is making malicious attempts to mislead the public by questioning whether reforms should come first or elections. "Those who seek to confuse the people with such questions have ulterior motives.”
The BNP leader said his party believes reform is a continuous process that never truly ends. "One initiates the reform process, while another carries out the necessary changes," he explained.
"All of us, whether in government or outside, must remember that without a qualitative transformation of democratic political culture, political reforms won’t be effective," he observed.
Tarique urged the government to prioritise alleviating public hardships to ensure that reform efforts are meaningful and impactful.
Staying Alert against Plots
Tarique urged everyone, including journalists, to stay vigilant, warning that fascist forces and their supporters are conspiring against pro-Bangladesh and democratic forces, attempting to create division and raise their heads once again.
“But I strongly believe that if we all remain alert, there will be no room for misunderstandings in the forces on the side of Bangladesh."
He alleged that various conspiracies, both domestic and foreign, have begun to hinder the nation's ongoing journey towards establishing democracy. "The ousted dictator and his cronies are attempting to regain power through various tactics."
The BNP leader also mentioned that many people sacrificed their lives and endured injuries during the July-August mass uprising to bring down Sheikh Hasina’s fascist regime.
He alleged that various conspiracies have begun from inside and outside the country to obstruct the nation’s ongoing journey towards establishing democracy. “The ousted dictator and its henchmen have started trying to rise again with various tactics.”
The BNP leader said many people sacrificed their lives and sustained injuries during the July-August mass uprising to bring down Sheikh Hasina’s fascist regime.
"It is the responsibility of those of us who are still alive to repay the blood debt of the martyrs by establishing a democratic, just, and discrimination-free Bangladesh. At the same time, it is our duty to take all necessary steps to ensure that the fugitive autocrat and his associates are never rehabilitated in politics," he said.
The BNP leader said proper legal and political action is essential to prevent the rehabilitation of fugitive mafias and their associates.
"On one hand, they must be brought to justice. On the other hand, we must create a situation where the people will reject them politically," he stated.
People’s Empowerment
Tarique stressed the importance of ensuring people's empowerment by electing public representatives at all levels of government through direct voting in a credible election. "If this is ensured, no one will consider usurping power and becoming a fascist without the people's mandate," he stated.
The BNP leader also said if the people are granted their right to vote, they will have the power to eliminate fascist forces. "That is why the BNP demands that elections be held promptly by completing necessary reforms.
He said political empowerment of the people is vital to make murderers, robbers, mafias, dictators, and other political evils irrelevant in Bangladesh's politics.
Tarique also emphasised that free, fair, and impartial elections, conducted within a reasonable timeframe, are crucial alongside the reform process.
People’s Verdict Prevails
The BNP acting chairman said the fleeing of the deposed Awami League regime and its cohorts has proven that it is not unlawful state power, but the people's verdict, that ultimately sustains.
He said over the past one and a half decades, the people of Bangladesh have learned through bitter experience the consequences of turning dissent or differing opinions into animosity.
"The escape of the fugitive autocrat, along with his illegitimate ministers, MPs, intellectuals, judges, the Khatib of Baitul Mukarram, the president and general secretary of the Jatiya Press Club, and certain journalists, has once again demonstrated that it is not illegal state power, but ultimately the verdict of the people that prevails," Tarique remarked.
Speaking at the programme, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar stated that the Awami League had not only destroyed the country’s institutions through politicisation, but had also stifled media independence in its quest to establish a fascist regime.
He said the primary responsibility of the interim government is to ensure the establishment of a democratic government through free and fair elections.
Parwar observed that many of the current government's decisions and actions are out of step with the desires of the public.
The Jamaat leader called upon the government to implement the necessary reforms to ensure a credible election in the country.
He opposed the formation of the Election Commission under a law enacted by the Awami League that he argued runs counter to the hopes and aspirations of people.
Parwar urged political parties to unite in their efforts to oust the fascist Awami League through the election. "We, the democratic forces, can develop a strategy to achieve this," he said.
He stated that the Awami League is not a democratic party and, as such, has no right to practice democracy.
BNP Standing Committee member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretary General Shaheeduddin Chowdury Anee, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka South City unit Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul, among others, spoke at the programme.