People’s political empowerment essential: Tarique
Staff Reporter :
BNP Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, on Tuesday stressed the importance of politically empowering citizens, saying that direct voting rights strengthen both the people and the political system.
“A state and government can never be truly strong without a politically empowered population,” he said while virtually addressing an event in Dhaka marking the 45th founding anniversary of Swechasebak Dal.
Referring to recent debates over election timing, he called for greater unity among all pro-democracy parties. Tarique warned that internal divisions would only open the door for fascist forces to re-emerge in politics and governance.
He also emphasized that elections are the central mechanism for protecting citizens’ rights. “Any attempt to impose barriers on political rights threatens the advancement of democracy,” he cautioned. Tarique further warned that if democracy weakens and people are unable to secure their rights, the nation as a whole will suffer.
Besides, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, meanwhile, reaffirmed that the party will not accept the proportional representation (PR) electoral system, arguing that the people of Bangladesh are neither familiar with it nor prepared for it.
“We have made it clear that we will never accept the PR system because it is alien to our people. They do not understand it,” he told reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after returning from Thailand.
Mirza Fakhrul pointed out that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were discarded after limited use, and the PR system would face similar rejection. “There is no scope to accept it,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul said PR deprives voters of the chance to directly elect their representatives. “The people of Bangladesh want elections in the traditional format, as that is the only way to overcome the ongoing political and economic crises,” he said.
He added that under PR, voters are uncertain about whom they are actually voting for. “That is simply unacceptable.”
Speaking about Ducsu polls, Fakhrul said BNP hopes the elections will be inclusive, fair, and properly conducted.
Earlier, on August 13, Fakhrul traveled to Bangkok with his wife Rahat Ara Begum for follow-up eye treatment. He had previously undergone emergency eye surgery there on May 13.