Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a party discussion meeting on Friday urged the interim government to exercise caution while making statements and advised the same not to treat political parties as adversaries.
The BNP leader strongly refuted the allegation made by Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam that political parties were attempting to destabilize the interim government, demanding the withdrawal of such remarks.
“I am unsure of the context or reasoning behind his statement, or whether he grasped its implications. This is a dangerous remark, and I strongly protest it. He should withdraw his comment,” Fakhrul stated during the discussion.
The BNP organized the event at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, to commemorate Martyred Intellectuals Day, which will be observed nationwide on Saturday.
Fakhrul emphasized that students, citizens, and political parties, including the BNP, have placed their trust in the interim government to foster an environment conducive to fair elections, enabling the establishment of a people’s government and parliament.
On Wednesday, Nahid Islam had reportedly remarked that political parties are prioritizing elections over reforms.
During a meeting at the Secretariat with a delegation from British Global Partners Governance (GPG), the adviser also accused political parties of attempting to undermine the interim government’s efforts.
Turkish jurists meet BNP leaders: A delegation from Turkey’s International Jurists Union held a meeting with BNP leaders on Friday, where they addressed various issues, including Bangladesh’s judicial system and the prosecution of individuals who fled the country following mass uprisings against oppressive acts.
The 16-member delegation visited the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan around 3 pm, meeting with a BNP team led by party standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Khosru stated that the discussion covered critical topics, such as Bangladesh’s judicial system during this transitional period and mechanisms to bring those who fled the country to justice, drawing from Turkey’s experiences.
The BNP highlighted that the discussions also included strategies for prosecuting politicians and others who supported the autocratic government in carrying out mass killings, forced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and other repressive actions.
Khosru further discussed the legal measures necessary to bring back the autocratic ruler and their allies who fled the country. “We exchanged insights with them to reform our judiciary, as maintaining order is impossible without a functional judicial system,” he added.
He also mentioned that, out of 12,000 judges and prosecutors in Turkey, 4,000 were removed due to alleged involvement in a failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to Khosru, many politicians and officials fled Turkey after their unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Erdogan. “We explored how Bangladesh could learn from Turkey’s experiences in addressing these issues.”
Other BNP leaders, including Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee Member Tasvir Ul Islam, Barrister Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim, and Shama Obed, were also present at the meeting.
