Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur on Saturday said the interim government has failed to bring any meaningful change over the past eleven months, except reinstating BNP-Jamaat affiliates at various levels of administration.
“If I had to rate their performance, I would give them a maximum of four or five out of ten,” he said addressing a discussion marking the anniversary of the July-August mass uprising, held at the Jatiya Press Club.
The event, titled ‘Expectations of Mass Uprising and the Path to Democratic Transition in the Country’, was organised by Ganatantra Manch.
Ganatantra Manch is a coalition comprising the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Nagorik Oikya, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Ganasamhati Andolon, Bhasani Anusari Parishad, and Rastro Songskar Andolon.
The discussion was primarily convened marking the police attack on Ganatantra Manch leaders and activists on January 19 last year.
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Nur said, “If we assess their (govt) activities over the past 11 months, I would give the government a maximum of four or five marks out of ten. Even that feels generous, as they have failed to bring about any visible change in the country.”
He said they had fought for a change in the existing system, but it was disheartening that Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and members of his advisory council had not met their expectations.
Nur lamented that there had been no improvement in public services at healthcare centres, land offices, UNO offices, or DC offices. These offices were still operating under the influence of politically powerful individuals, whereas they had wanted this system to change, he added.
Nur said the National Consensus Commission has also become ineffective. “Yet, we must reach a consensus on some fundamental reforms.”
He proposed that the Upper House of a bicameral parliament should be formed under a Proportional Representation (PR) system to ensure representation of all political parties. “If this is done, dissenting voices will be present in Parliament. Otherwise, it will remain the same as before.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Ganasamhati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, and Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque were, among others, present at the event.