Tarique slams interim govt for delaying reforms

Voicing concerns over visible efforts to make election demand an offence, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday said public doubts are mounting over why the interim government is buying so much time on reforms.

"Reform efforts are underway to repair the state and politics. But if the political parties' demand for elections has to be ignored for the sake of ongoing reforms, then what is the significance of reforms? This is now the question on the minds of many people," he said while virtually addressing a discussion marking the fifth founding anniversary of "Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party".

He said every political party in the country is in favour of reforms. "Yet, questions are slowly growing in the public mind about why the interim government is wasting so much time on reforms."

The BNP leader warned that if depoliticisation is encouraged by ignoring political parties and the verdict of the people, it will ultimately put democracy at risk.

"Through this event, I would like to once again call upon the interim government to specifically announce the roadmap for the national election. The current interim government must take the initiative to make political parties face the people's court," he said.

Tarique said if a parliament and government accountable to the people are formed through the people's vote, the country's independence and sovereignty will be consolidated.

"As a political activist, I firmly believe that once the people and political parties become accustomed to forming and changing governments through political practice, no one will be able to turn Bangladesh into a subservient state," he observed.

As a political party aiming at qualitative reform of the state and politics and the political empowerment of the country's citizens, Tarique said BNP has always been demanding the establishment of a government and parliament elected by the people through direct vote.

"Political parties will demand elections. This is a normal democratic practice, but we've noticed a subtle but deliberate effort in recent days to create an atmosphere where demanding the holding of elections seems like a crime," he said.

The BNP leader said derogatory statements or comments about the holding of the national election only please the fugitive dictator. "But on the other hand, it is insulting to the democracy-loving people."

He underscored the need for unity among the democratic political parties in the interests of the country.

Tarique said at least 25 new political parties have emerged following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's autocratic regime. "We welcome them in the political arena."

"There may be differences in political ideology among the pro-democratic political parties. But I believe that the position of every pro-Bangladesh force is the same and identical when it comes to the interests of the country," he said.

The BNP leader said the people of this country will never accept the political party that lost its democratic character, established a fascist regime, and turned Bangladesh into a subservient state.

"The deposed and fugitive dictator who violated the Constitution is trying to rise again. Article 65(2) of our Constitution states that members of parliament shall be elected by direct vote of the people, but in violation of the Constitution, this fugitive dictator formed illegal parliaments and governments three times without the people's vote," he said.

The BNP leader said the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh want to know what steps the interim government has taken or will take to make those accused of violating the Constitution politically irrelevant in the future.

"There is no scope to avoid responsibility by shifting blame. If the interim government fails to take action, I firmly believe the next government-elected by the people's vote-will definitely take legal measures against those who violated the Constitution," he said.

Tarique criticised those advocating for local government elections before the national polls, saying it could provide a golden opportunity for the "fugitive dictator" and their cohorts-who are waiting with huge sums of embezzled public money-to return to power.

"Those who spoke in favour of holding local government elections may not have considered the issue in this way. I would request them to reconsider the matter from this perspective," the BNP leader said.

He said Bangladesh's two most significant milestones are its independence in 1971 and the fight to protect that independence in 2024.

Tarique asserted that Bangladesh did not leave Pakistan in 1971 only to become subservient to Delhi. "The uprising of soldiers and people on 7 November 1975 also carried the same message."

He criticised the fugitive dictator Sheikh Hasina for turning Bangladesh into a subservient state for over a decade and a half, ignoring the people's democratic aspirations.

Tarique called for ensuring that no force is ever allowed to reduce Bangladesh to a subservient state again, and that defeated forces and their allies are never able to rise once more.

The AB Party arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club, where senior leaders of different political parties addressed.