Election first, reforms later Delay in reforms may deepen crisis, he warns

Staff Reporter :

BNP’s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, has warned that the country will face a deeper crisis if discussions on reform proposals continue to be prolonged.

He made this statement on Sunday (February 2) during a workshop organised by Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP.
Addressing party leaders and activists virtually from London, Tarique Rahman emphasised that any delay in the election process or unnecessarily prolonging reform discussions would provide an opportunity for the ousted autocratic forces to regain their foothold in the country.

He cautioned that Bangladeshis from all walks of life had united to remove dictatorship, and now, any further delay in moving forward with elections and governance reforms could allow those forces to take advantage of the situation.

“I urge all intellectuals and concerned individuals discussing reforms not to drag these discussions indefinitely.

The longer we delay, the more the country will plunge into a crisis, creating room for conspirators to act. There is no alternative to elections,” he asserted.

Tarique Rahman stated that the implementation of reform proposals hinges on holding an election first. Through an electoral mandate, the people will empower a government to execute the necessary reforms.

“The sooner these reforms are implemented, the sooner the country’s people will be relieved of existing challenges. To achieve these reforms, there is only one way forward-elections.

Whether it is the reforms proposed by the BNP or those outlined by the commissions of the interim government, the implementation process must begin with an election. There is no other way,” he stressed.

Addressing the skepticism of some individuals about whether elections can resolve all problems immediately, Tarique Rahman acknowledged that not all issues would be fixed overnight. However, he argued that elections provide a means for accountability.

“Once elections are held and a government is formed with the people’s mandate, it will be in a position to systematically untangle the country’s problems,” he explained.
In his message to BNP leaders and activists, he urged them to pledge their commitment to the people.

“Through today’s workshop, let us all make a promise that if the people of Bangladesh entrust us with the responsibility of running the state, we will fulfill the reform commitments we have made. Each of us, in our respective roles, must strive to honor these pledges to the best of our abilities,” he stated.

The workshop, titled ’31-Point State Structure Repair and Public Engagement’, was organized by Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP at Balur Math in Kadamtali, Shyampur. Thousands of leaders and activists from BNP’s 24 police stations under the Dhaka South unit, along with members of 11 affiliated organizations, participated in the event.

The workshop was presided over by Rafiqul Alam Majnu, Convener of Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP, and moderated by Member Secretary Tanvir Ahmed Robin. Other prominent speakers included BNP’s Trade Affairs Secretary Alhaj Salahuddin Ahmed and Acting Chairman’s Advisor Mahadi Amin.