BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday night said their party is likely to hold its seventh national council this year, although no date has yet been fixed for it.

“The BNP council will be held within this year. We have not finalised the date yet, but I think it will be held soon,” Fakhrul, also the LGRD Minister, said.

He made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the BNP Chairman’s Gulshan office.

The last council of the BNP was held in 2016 - a gap of ten years already, although the party has been known for long gaps between councils

Replying to a question about party activities after forming the government, Fakhrul said party activities are continuing, though at a limited scale.

“Party activities are going on, though in a smaller way. Most of our party’s senior members are now in government, so it will take some time to reorganise the party…the government will do its work and the party will do its own,” he said.

Fakhrul stressed that no one has been left out of the party, and everyone, along with government officials and the public, will be involved in activities.

The LGRD minister took a number of questions on the current political situation, activities of parliament, local government elections, government performance, appointment of vice-chancellors in universities, and the overall economic situation.

It was the first time since assuming his new office as a member of the cabinet.that the veteran politician, who was appointed as the BNP's secretary general at that last council in 2016 (after serving some years as acting secretary general), engaged in a lengthy question-and-answer session with journalists.

He claimed that the BNP-led government has already started delivering on its election pledges within a month of taking office.

Coming to the government’s achievements under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul said, “In just one month, we have started putting into action the promises we made before the election. We have launched the Family Card pilot project, waived interest on farmers’ Tk 10,000 loans, started canal digging projects across the country, and begun providing monthly allowances to religious leaders such as imams, muezzins, and khadims. Farmers’ Cards will be issued from Pohela Boishakh. These are real achievements. Taking these promises to action in just 30 days of a new government is a big success.”

Fakhrul also said the government remains committed to implementing the issues it agreed to, i.e. those where it didn't register any dissenting note, under the July Charter.

He also tried to say that BNP seems to face global challenges whenever it comes to power, as he reflected on the Israel-Iran war, seemingly surprised by how soon it emerged after the new government in Dhaka took office. He expressed his satisfaction though, at how his government had handled matters so far.

“Despite the situation, there has been no disruption in fuel supply in the country, nor has the price increased, due to the government’s capacity,” he said. “Advance measures also prevented problems in garment factories over wages.”

The minister also said work is progressing on holding local government elections and the government plans to complete the process "as soon as possible", again holding out the possibility that it would be within this year.

On the economy, Fakhrul said the biggest challenge is to restore it to a healthy state. “Work has already started. The central bank governor has changed, and policies are being slightly adjusted. Small businesses are starting to get loans, and economic activity is picking up. Bangladesh’s biggest advantage is its population. If the government manages well, the economy will grow steadily.”

On criticism over vice-chancellor appointments, he said, “There will always be critics. Appointments are made based on merit and political view. The best candidates are chosen, and some criticism is normal, but we are not worried.”

The BNP, Fakhrul hinted, would prefer to be judged on the work their appointees do, rather than get bogged down in the politics behind the appointments.

“Our goal is to rebuild institutions damaged under previous governments. Honest and capable people are being appointed in ministries and departments, such as the Secretary of the LGD Ministry, who is highly skilled both academically and administratively.”

Regarding the University of Dhaka vice-chancellor, he said, “The new VC has an excellent academic record, including a PhD, and was previously VC of the Open University. Unlike the previous Awami League government, which appointed third-class candidates, this is a merit-based selection.”

He described the cabinet as versatile, with a mix of experienced and new members.

Fakhrul sounded nonplussed about the potential return of the Awami League, starting through limited activities  as seen this week. He said, “Let politics continue and democracy work. The opposition will raise issues, debate, walk out — that is the beauty of Parliament.”

On media freedom, he said, “Journalists are free to write and criticise. There has been no interference. Our information minister says daily that everything is open, and no one is pressured. BNP enjoys the greatest media freedom since coming to power.”

Fakhrul said the government had done its homework to handle economic challenges.

 “This is not a populist move. We have a clear plan for funding, revenue, and spending. We are confident there will be no financial problems in carrying out our projects.”

When his attention was drawn to the diabolical train derailment that occurred in the Santahar area of Bogura, Mirza Fakhrul said all steps have been taken to address the unexpected occurrence and the ensuing problems promptly, with train services that were interrupted set to resume normal service soon, with added safety.