NN Online:
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman said on Monday that the formation of the Election Commission (EC) is a key step towards establishing an elected parliament and government.
“The interim government has already reconstituted the Election Commission. We believe this is a significant step towards forming an elected parliament and government, with representatives chosen through the people’s votes,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while addressing the annual general meeting of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the Jatiya Press Club.
Tarique said it is a kind of reality that the recent mass uprising did not take place just for an election.
“On the other hand, another harsh reality is that the fugitive dictator managed to establish fascism in the country by repeatedly forming governments without elections, rendering the people politically powerless. So, election is certainly a key issue in establishing people’s rights in democratic political practice,” he observed.
He also said the election is necessary to empower the people and restore their ownership of the country.
Tarique said the state system should be structured in such a way that all public representatives, from union councils to parliament, are elected directly by the people in order to prevent the rise of fascism.
He said it is essential to ensure voting rights for all citizens without any discrimination to build a Bangladesh free from discrepancy.
Tarique claimed that the BNP has no conflict with the government over the issue of reforms. “But to make reform efforts effective, public suffering must first be alleviated.”
He said the forces in favour of Bangladesh should take unilateral steps to resist the rehabilitation of fascist elements.
The BNP leader said if people are granted their rights to vote, they will be able to eliminate the fascist forces. “That’s why the BNP demands that the election be held promptly, after completing all necessary preparations.”
Tarique also highlighted the importance of maintaining objectivity in journalism, which he claimed had been eroded during the autocratic rule of the Awami League.
He called upon all, including journalists, to remain vigilant, as fascist forces and their allies are conspiring against the pro-Bangladesh forces, attempting to create division and raise their heads once again.
At the beginning of his speech, Tarique remembered the six journalists who were killed during the anti-fascist July-August movement and prayed for the salvation of their souls.
Speaking at the programme, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said the Awami League had not only destroyed the country’s institutions through politicisation, but had also stifled media independence in its quest to establish a fascist regime.
He said the primary responsibility of the interim government is to ensure the establishment of a democratic government through free and fair elections.
Parwar observed that many of the current government’s decisions and actions are out of step with the desires of the public.
The Jamaat leader called upon the government to implement the necessary reforms to ensure a credible election in the country.
He opposed the formation of the Election Commission under a law enacted by the Awami League that he argued runs counter to the hopes and aspirations of people.
Parwar urged political parties to unite in their efforts to oust the fascist Awami League through the election. “We, the democratic forces, can develop a strategy to achieve this,” he said.
He stated that the Awami League is not a democratic party and, as such, has no right to practise democracy.
BNP Standing Committee Member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretary General Shaheeduddin Chowdury Anee, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka South City unit Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul, among others, spoke at the programme.
