People want change now and party demands can wait
BNP senior leader Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Tuesday said the essence of the 10-point demand that his party has announced recently is one- the Awami League government has to quit the power.
Speaking at a discussion as the chief guest, he said “It is our misfortune that our higher judiciary acts following the direction of a dictator, not according to the law”.
He also said, “Awami League government has killed the spirit of the liberation war and the spirit of democracy. This government doesn’t feel any responsibility to the people of the country as because they have killed democracy”.
They (this government) are looting money and smuggling it abroad. They are not able to control the prices of essential commodities. Syndicates of their cronies are raising the prices of commodities as their wish. Fuel prices have also been increased as their wish. Traders are failing to open LCs for importing goods,” Dr. Mosharraf said.
In this situation, he said the people of the country are truly realizing that those who are looting, destroying the economy of the country will not be able to reform the state.
The discussion was held at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) auditorium under the banner of “Role of former Senior Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain in establishing Democracy and Rule of Law”.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum (BJAF), a platform of the pro-BNP lawyers, organized the programme to commemorate the former SCBA President and also the former chief of BJAF Khandker Mahbub Hossain.
Eminent jurist and former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Khandker Mahbbub died at a hospital in the capital on December 31 in 2022. He was 84.
Former Attorney General Senior Advocate A J Mohammad Ali presided over the programme, while Barrister Mainul Hosein was the special guest on the occasion.
Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government Barrister Mainul Hosein said, “Khandker Mahbub Hossain was my uncle and I am proud of the legacy he left behind as a great lawyer and humanitarian activities. He wanted to see change of the regime.”
“The people are coming out in the streets in thousands for change now so the demand should be for one point. Other party demands will confuse the momentum of the people’s movement,” he siad.
Barrister Mainul said, “Our leaders must know as to how democracy is to be practiced. Bangabandhu gave democratic Constitution within a short time. But it was unthinkable that he would reject it and went for one party system. It was not that he was insincere to do good to the people. Awami League was a party for democracy and made sacrifices for it.”
“We need leaders who know the importance of democracy for good government. When we talk of democracy we do not talk of mega-projects of bricks and iron .The people’s development and people’s rights must get priority. The question of denying people of their rights or election of no vote of the people should be unthinkable.”
“As lawyers we should get united and join the people’s movement for change of government now. We cannot be truly lawyers if we cannot ensure justice under the rule of law.”
“Politics is about serving people selflessly and it is not a business of becoming rich overnight.”
“I kept myself away from party politics, though tried for unity among parties and others for free election and democracy,” he said.
Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said, “We didn’t see any strong movement on behalf of the lawyers during the controversial judgment by which Caretaker system was declared illegal by former Chief Justice Khairul Haque. Another Chief Justice (S K Sinha) was forced to leave the country. However, we didn’t found the lawyers vocal against this misdeed.”
Advocate Dr Farhat Hossain, wife of Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, former Secretaries of the SCBA Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, former President of Dhaka Bar Association Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder, Advocate Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, among others, attended the programme.
