United News of Bangladesh

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday hoped that the country’s people will immediately see the most credible national election in the country’s history under the leadership of Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus. “Our expectation is now that the people will immediately see the most free and impartial national election in the country's history under the leadership of a skilled and competent and internationally acclaimed head of interim government,” he said while virtually addressing a discussion. The National People’s Party (NPP) arranged the programme at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, marking its 18th founding anniversary. Tarique said political parties have once again met the Chief Adviser and demanded a clear announcement of the date and time of the national election. “BNP has demanded that the national election must be held by next December.” He said BNP and those who have long been protesting on the streets together have continued their full cooperation with the interim government for the necessary reforms in public administration and law and order forces to hold the national election. “Taking advantage of any excuse or unnecessary delay in establishing a government accountable to the people in the people's Bangladesh through the people's vote, the fallen, fugitive and defeated autocrat is waiting to rise up,” the BNP leader warned. He, however, said it is possible to prevent the rehabilitation of fascists, subversives, and evil forces by establishing the rights of the people of a fascism-free Bangladesh. Tarique urges govt to announce election date, warns against 'despotism' “Although we see procedural and systematic differences among the anti-fascist political parties in terms of our respective party ideology and programmes, I firmly believe that the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh are united as they were on August 5 on the one-sided issue of tackling the rise of fascism in the larger interest of the country and the people,” Tarique said. He said a sense of instability is being created among the country’s citizens, forcing people of different walks of life and professions to take to the streets every day with various demands. “Though unfortunately, there is no one to pay heed to their demands.” He said the political parties faced various oppression, plots and suppressions during the rule of fascist Awami League. The BNP leader said all the political parties should now aim to resist the political comeback of the fallen fascist. “For this the political empowerment of the people is necessary.” He said no government can become autocratic when the country’s people become politically empowered. “An elected government is necessary to empower the country’s people.” "I think the most important thing to prevent dictatorship or fascism in the state is the political empowerment of  people. If a parliamentary government is formed with elected representatives through the direct vote of people, then the government is bound to be accountable to people," he said. The BNP Acting Chairman also said regardless of the nature of a government—elected, interim, or caretaker—if it cannot be made accountable to  people, the ruling administration may unknowingly become autocratic. "That is why citizens must continue to constructively criticise the government, even by ignoring all sorts of threats. Every citizen must be vocal in establishing their rights," he said. The BNP Acting Chairman also opposed the government’s sudden move to reform the National Board of Revenue (NBR) just before the national budget, warning of its potential negative impact on revenue collection and, consequently, on the overall economy. He noted that reforms are necessary to ensure qualitative changes in the state, government, and politics… “There is no such thing as too little or too much reform. Reform is an ongoing process for the state or politics. However, I think practical reform is much more important than theoretical reform.” He said the government should accept the justified demands of  people, rising above emotion and anger. “The people of the country are not at the mercy of any government. The government is certainly obliged to listen to the people and accept their just demands. There is no scope for the government to be emotional and aggrieved,”the BNP leader said. He said that there is no crisis of moral and political legitimacy of the interim government, established on the blood of several thousand martyrs. Tarique, however, said the interim government is certainly not accountable to  people. “So, the government's specific plans need to be made clear to the public for moral reasons.” He also warned that no plan can become effective and sustainable if the people are kept in the dark and political parties left in uncertainty. The BNP leader said people may not expect the interim government to carry out all activities like a government directly elected by the people, except for performing some routine functions. Tarique said local and foreign investment has stagnated due to the lack of a stable democratic government in the country. Tarique Rahman extends greetings to Khaleda Zia, all mothers on Mother’s Day