BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday called upon all political parties to work together to restore a democratic order in the country through the upcoming national election rather than resorting to street violence or confrontational politics.

“Election is a correction process and a filtering process. We must not obstruct this election. If it is disrupted, we will lose the opportunity to restore democracy,” he said.

Speaking at a discussion at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, organised by Gono Odhikar Parishad marking its fourth founding anniversary, the BNP leader said political parties should take their differences to the people and seek a public mandate to resolve them through the election.

“If we try to resolve these issues through violent street confrontations, we will return to Sheikh Hasina’s era,” he warned.

Khosru, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, urged all political parties to stay united and preserve the fraternity developed during the anti-fascist movement to create a genuine democratic environment in Bangladesh.

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He said the 16-year struggle was aimed at restoring the people’s democratic, political and constitutional rights, but a true democratic order is yet to return even after 14 months of the fall of the previous government. “There is now an interim government in place, but the elected parliament and representative government for which we fought are yet to be established,” Khosru said.

He termed it a positive sign that political parties came together and signed a national charter for reforms.

“The remaining task now is to restore democratic order in Bangladesh through united participation in the upcoming election. This is not the time for street agitation. Our struggle now is to go to the people. We cannot resort to confrontational politics. We cannot pursue politics that incites violence. If we destroy our relationships with one another and practise such politics, we will be forced to return to that old culture,” the BNP leader said.

He called for reviving a political culture of tolerance and mutual respect --one in which people can differ yet still respect each other’s opinions.

Without restoring that culture, Khosru said, genuine democracy cannot be institutionalised, no matter how many reforms are undertaken.

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Khosru also said political parties naturally have different philosophies, outlines and views, and that this should not be seen as division.

“Each party must carry its mandate to the people. Changes will come through parliament and elections. Many reforms will not happen overnight but must stay on the public agenda and be addressed gradually — in six months, a year, or over time — just as democratic systems in Western countries evolved through such processes,” he observed.

The BNP leader said the long struggle that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime had created a sense of fraternity among those who endured the hard times together.

“After the long and painful movement against the autocratic regime, we have developed a common feeling — a shared sense of responsibility — for building Bangladesh’s democratic future,” he added.