Staff Reporter :
BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy remarked that the 31-point reform proposal submitted by the party might take 31 years to implement, saying, “It takes time for a tree to bear fruit.”
He made the comment while addressing a discussion titled “The Role of the BNP on International Disaster Reduction Day,” organised by the Jatiotabadi Prochar Dal at the Jahanara Hussain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club on Sunday.
Addressing the interim government, Gayeshwar said, “For the past 16 years, the demand has been for free and fair elections—nothing else. This is the reason for the bloodshed.
The people’s desire for voting rights should be your only agenda. There is no need for any other agenda. Just hold a fair election. You haven’t even managed to change the Election Commission.”
He criticised ongoing political dialogues, stating, “Discussions with political parties are merely time-wasting. The sooner the election is held, the higher the public participation will be.
If an election were held right now, 90% of the population would turn out to vote—a record-breaking figure.”
He highlighted the role of students in shaping history: “This country has a rich history of student movements. Students play a crucial role in every significant change, which is why expectations are higher for them.
If students had joined our movements, the Awami League government wouldn’t have lasted more than five to seven days.
But we failed to create an environment that encouraged student participation, although the BNP has always stood by students during their movements.”
Gayeshwar urged students to voice concerns about irregularities: “If they see any irregularities, students should hold press briefings, alert the government, and warn them. During our student days, we were part of similar movements.
But after our activism, we returned to our libraries. Do not create new divisions in the name of fighting inequality. If inequality is replaced by another form of injustice, who will pay the price?”
He emphasised the importance of mutual respect, saying: “It’s not right to view politicians as foolish. You are knowledgeable individuals entrusted with important responsibilities, and you deserve respect.
But it’s also wrong to think politicians act only in self-interest. While you may study theories and science, it’s the politicians, workers, and rickshaw pullers who implement those ideas.
Thought and reality are different; in theory, you can imagine a perfect world, but in practice, challenges arise at every step.”
Gayeshwar warned the interim government: “If you fail, the nation fails. Your failure would render our 16 years of struggle meaningless. We want you to succeed, and we are offering you our full support. Make it clear to the people when you will hold elections and how long it will take.”
He criticised the government’s lack of clarity, adding, “Initially, military personnel mentioned 18 months for elections, but later the government denied it. So what is the government’s position—36 months or 20 months? The people deserve clarity.”
Gayeshwar concluded, “We hope the people’s hunger—whether for food, thoughts, or rights—will be addressed through elections. If this does not happen in a timely manner, the people will seek solutions elsewhere.”