United News of Bangladesh

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Tuesday said any reform in Bangladesh must be implemented through a democratic process and with public support, not through any unilateral or imposed initiative. “No matter how much you talk about reforms, at the end of the day, reforms must be implemented through a democratic process.  No reform can be carried out outside the democratic process,” he told a roundtable discussion. The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh have not transferred the ownership of the country to anyone who will carry out reforms for its future. “Reforms must take place with the support of people in a democratic manner. There is no scope for reforms beyond that.” Bhasani Janashakti Party and Bhasani Anushari Parishad jointly organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the third death anniversary of Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury. Mirza Abbas alleges systematic purge of pro-BNP officials from administration Khosru, a BNP Standing Committee Member, said his party has already made it clear that they are ready to implement any reform proposals that have been agreed upon through political consensus. “So, why is the delay? Why is it that we cannot know where the consensus stands?  We have all submitted our proposals. We are waiting to see where the consensus is. But we still cannot know where the consensus lies. Why the hesitation in stating that?” he said. The BNP leader said there will be no elections without reforms, but the government is not specifying where the national consensus lies or how those reforms will be implemented. “We have not given ownership of Bangladesh to anyone who will reform where there is no consensus. Where there is no consensus on the issue of reform, every political party has the right to go to the people and come to Parliament with the mandate of the people on those proposals. There is no room for other reforms beyond that,” he observed. BNP happy with ban on Awami League activities The BNP leader said if anyone thinks that Sheikh Hasina’s usurped ownership of the country has passed to someone else enabling them to dictate future reforms regardless of whether the people want it or not, no such ownership has been given to anyone. “The people of Bangladesh are the owners of the country, it is they who will decide what reforms should be undertaken where there is no consensus,” Khosru said. In a democratic process, he said, any future reform proposals where there is no consensus must be openly debated both inside and outside Parliament and then passed through the parliamentary process.  “There is no alternative to this. The only other path is authoritarianism—and that’s exactly what Sheikh Hasina has resorted to.” He accused former fascist ruler Sheikh Hasina of creating many small autocrats in the country over the last 15 years. “You cannot hold the people hostage and then talk about reforms solely to serve the interests of a select few. There is no longer any scope in Bangladesh to impose anything by force while excluding the people. That time is over,” Khosru observed. The BNP leader lamented that those who hid in fear of Sheikh Hasina are now lecturing others on reforms. He said BNP has long proposed reforms, including a 31-point state-overhauling outline and a 27-point Vision-2030, which aims to rebuild Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime. “Many of those now talking about reforms were never seen in movements. They hid when pressured and are now emerging to give us lessons,” he said. The BNP leader criticised the government for acting as if Bangladesh has become an investment haven, saying that investment has actually been falling over the past ten months. “They are putting on a show—a circus of investment. But people are not fools,” he said. He said no local or international entrepreneur will decide to invest in Bangladesh unless an elected government is in place and political stability is ensured. “Globally, investors look for political legitimacy. No one will take the risk of investing without an elected government in place. Investment is not a short-term matter, it is a long-term issue,” the BNP leader said. Khosru said the people of Bangladesh are now united in their demand for the restoration of democracy and democratic order, and for the establishment of a democratic government through a credible election. “Some people talk about division among the people. I don’t see any division or confusion among the people. They are united to be victorious in the democratic struggle and restore democracy through the election,” he observed.  

The United States has urged the Bangladesh government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for all arrested individuals. It also called on the Bangladesh government to allow opposition members, media professionals and civil society representatives to participate meaningfully in the country’s democratic process and civic life. “We will continue to engage with the Bangladesh government to advance that point of view,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a regular briefing in Washington on January 30. New USAID-funded disaster shelter and school opens in Cox’s Bazar Though international observers described January 7 election in Bangladesh as “free and fair,” the US State Department spokesperson said they did not find the national polls to be free and fair. The US also expressed concerns over the arrest of political opposition members in the run-up to those elections. Miller said US will continue to engage with the Bangladesh government to advance democratic principles, which are key to ensuring peace and prosperity for all Bangladeshis. US says will continue to take steps to deepen partnership with Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that an uninterrupted democratic process for the past 13 years has been behind  the unprecedented development of Bangladesh. “You’ve noticed the change of Bangladesh in 13 years. And this development has been achieved only because the democratic process has continued in the country with the Awami League in power for these 13 years,” she said on Friday. The prime minister was addressing a civic reception accorded in her honour here on the occasion of her official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She joined the event virtually from her place of residence in Abu Dhabi, while Bangladeshi expatriates were connected from three venues --Bangladesh Consulate in Dubai, Abu Dhabi Theatre and Bangladesh English Private School and College in Ras Al Khaimah.  Hasina said there was no continuation of the democratic process in the country for several years after 1975. . “There was a black chapter after 1975. That dark cloud is gone. We’re now taking Bangladesh forward following the ideology of Father of the Nation,” she said adding that Bangladesh is marching forward and none would be able to take it back anymore. Noting that the country faced a problem during Covid-19 pandemic, she said now there is another new problem and that’s the situation created by the war between Ukraine and Russia. “So, we are passing through another abnormal situation... Fuel prices are going up and various problems have appeared in the international arena. We’re also facing some problems. But I believe that we can overcome this in Bangladesh,” she said. The PM asked the expatriates to tell their families and relatives back home not to leave any piece of land uncultivated to gain food autarky even in case of any global food crisis. Spelling out her government’s development activities, Hasina said there is no scope for anyone to remain unemployed in the country unless he or she wishes so. “If anyone takes a little initiative, the person would not remain unemployed,” she added. Read: Hasina says people will surely support motherly leadership like hers