Staff Correspondent 

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday urged the country’s people and political parties to stay alert and watch closely whether any group, with the support of a section of the interim government, is trying to create a planned situation to derail the upcoming election.

Speaking virtually at a discussion, he also said the concerns raised by many over the interim government’s capacity to hold the national election can no longer be overlooked.

“If you listen to what people are saying on social media and in different places, it seems that some are trying to create a planned or deliberate situation in the country, possibly with the help of a section of the interim government. This question is now in the minds of many people,” Tarique said.

He also mentioned that some recent brutal and unexpected incidents have raised serious questions among the public about the interim government's ability to manage such situations.

“Whether the interim government is truly capable of holding an election is now being questioned by different quarters. These concerns can no longer be dismissed as isolated comments,” the BNP leader added.

“I also call upon the people, all democratic political parties, and those involved in the movement to stay alert and closely observe whether anyone is trying to delay the national election beyond the possible timeline promised by the interim government,” he said.

Tarique also called on the interim government to play a more transparent and courageous role in tackling the country’s current situation. “The people of Bangladesh who believe in democracy will support you. The democratic parties will stand by your side, if your role is more transparent and bold.”

He highlighted the significance of the upcoming national election, saying it will play a vital role in establishing democracy in an institutional way.

“This election is very important for our national life… We must all act responsibly and remain alert so that no form of extremism or fascism can return to our state or politics in the future because of any emotional or wrong decisions on our part,” the BNP leader said.

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Private university teachers and students organised the programme at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in the capital to honour the contributions of private university teachers, students, and the martyrs of the July-August mass uprising.

At the beginning of his speech, Tarique respectfully remembered the role of private university students and teachers in the movement and said the martyrs of 2024 will be remembered by the nation just like the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.

The BNP leader said that although the party fully supported the quota reform movement from the start in 2024, it acted strategically to ensure that the Awami League could not brand it as a political party-led movement.

"Instead of abuse of state power, or administrative manipulation, the means to fulfill someone's political ambitions should be the verdict, trust and confidence of people,” he said.

Tarique also warned that without political empowerment of the people, no arrangement or efforts for the state reform will be of any use or sustainable.

Addressing the youth, he said one must become more enriched with knowledge and science to lead a state. “A state built on the sacrifices of the martyrs of 1971 and 2024 cannot be achieved through slogans or outdated, traditional political practices alone.”

“The first condition for building the kind of state the martyrs dreamed of is to establish a government responsible and accountable to the people and chosen by their direct vote. For that, a free and fair election is absolutely essential…to completely dismantle the structure of fascism, there is no alternative to exercising and practising people’s political rights through elections,” he said.

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The event began with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by the national anthem. A one-minute silence was observed in honour of the martyrs of the mass uprising.

Some family members of those who lost their lives during the movement shared their pain and memories, creating an emotional atmosphere at the event.