Staff Correspondent

Stating that the country’s situation is being made complicated with various conditions and statements, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday voiced doubt over whether the restoration of democracy will be possible within a short time as desired by people.

“We have been fighting for 15 years. The main issue of our struggle was the restoration of democracy, but unfortunately we have not yet been able to achieve it,” he told a discussion.

BNP organised the programme at the Supreme Court auditorium to mark the first anniversary of the party’s late vice chairman and former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali.

He said Bangladesh is also going through an uncertain situation, as the country is now in a very fragile state with an interim government.

“We are still in an uncertain situation as to whether the restoration of democracy will be possible in the short term because every day new conditions, different statements, and arguments are given, making everything more complicated,” Fakhrul said.

The BNP leader said some people are talking about delaying the election for the completion of reforms and presenting various arguments. 

“Many people are saying that first there will be reform and then the election. Reform is an ongoing process. It may take 5 to 10 years to complete the reform. So, won’t there be any election in 10 years? Will the country be run by fascist bureaucrats for 10 years? Now we are being run by fascist bureaucrats,” he said.

In the Secretariat, the BNP leader said 90% of bureaucrats are cohorts of fascism. “An indefinite and uncertain interim government for an indefinite time will not benefit the people of the country."

He alleged that BNP’s statements and words are being misinterpreted in various ways to mislead the people.

“We also know why it is being done. It was proved on Tuesday that Khaleda Zia is the most popular political leader of this country and BNP is the biggest democratic party, in whose hands the independence, sovereignty, and democracy of this country are safe under the leadership of Tarique Rahman,” Fakhrul said.

He said some people are making statements in such a way that it gives the impression that BNP is an anti-reform party and does not want reforms, whereas BNP first spoke about reforms in 2016 through the Vision-2030 and the 31-point reform outline in 2022. “"Unfortunately, some people in the government and other individuals are trying to present it differently."

Fakhrul said some people are also strongly campaigning that BNP only wants elections and merely seeks to come to power.

“I would like to make it clear that BNP surely wants to come to power. We engage in power politics with that objective. We have clearly stated in our constitution and declaration that we want to be elected by the people and come to power through the election to implement our manifesto,” he said.

The BNP leader also said their party seeks the election with the goal of forming a government and parliament to work for the people and resolve their problems. “This is what democracy means,” he stated.

Fakhrul also questioned the government about what changes they have made to reinforce the economy and strengthen the banking sector.

He said many factories, including RMG ones, are being shut down, and there is no local or foreign investment.

“The local and international investors are unequivocally saying they will not invest until an elected government is in place,” the BNP leader said.

He also alleged that the government has failed to reduce the growing rate of inflation.

Fakhrul pointed out that the academic atmosphere on university campuses is badly affected, with no discipline, while people continue to suffer in public hospitals due to a lack of efforts to improve services.

The BNP leader described AJ Mohammad Ali as a man of principle, with integrity and professional honesty, recalling his contributions to democracy and the judiciary.

He called upon lawyers to raise their voices for the restoration of democracy and work towards building a new democratic Bangladesh suitable for future generations.

Speaking at the programme, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that if the party returns to power, it is committed to reforming the state structure and the constitution and to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions.

He said their party formulated the 31-point state-overhauling proposals with the aim of ensuring the economic freedom of the people and safeguarding their democratic rights.

“We talk about the independence of the judiciary, and we will do it. We have to do it, and now is the opportunity to do so. If we can’t do it now, we will never be able to do it again,” the BNP leader said.

Before that, Salahuddin said 30-32 cohorts of the fascist Awami League regime, who are still sitting in the High Court, must be removed.

He also criticised the government for deciding to provide a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine without consulting the political parties.

"Do not underestimate the people of Bangladesh. If some so-called experts and academics believe they can impose something that is not in the best interests of this country’s people, they will never succeed," the BNP leader said.

Fakhrul expressed his hope for the success of the interim government but cautioned that any decisions made should not be detrimental to the nation or the people of Bangladesh.