BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday clarified that it is a misconception to believe that the party is solely focused on elections and not on reforms, reports UNB.
“We have been sincere about reforms from the very beginning. Unfortunately, we’re now hearing statements that the BNP does not want reforms, but only elections. This is not correct,” he told a dialogue.
The Forum for Bangladesh Studies organised the dialogue titled 'Unity, Reform, Election' at the Krishibid Institution in the capital.
Fakhrul said that the BNP is committed to participating in the elections only after necessary reforms are carried out to ensure a free, fair and credible voting process.
“We keep talking about elections because it’s the main gateway to democracy and the democratic process,” he asserted.
Describing the BNP's sincerity regarding reforms, he mentioned that their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia presented Vision 20-30 in 2016, outlining several reforms, including ensuring a balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister, limiting any individual to serving as Prime Minister for no more than two terms and introducing a bicameral parliament.
He said BNP also unveiled a 31-point reform proposal after consulting with other democratic political parties, who had joined the movement against fascism, in 2022.
“Our main problem is that there is no democratic practice here, and no democratic culture has been developed. Without a democratic culture, there will be repeated calls for reform,” the BNP leader said.
He also pointed out that it would not be possible to achieve any meaningful progress by imposing changes from above without a democratic culture and structure in place.
“The real problem is, who will implement these things (reforms)? Your administration and your government machinery are still completely under (the influence of) fascism,” Fakhrul observed.
He said democracy would only succeed in Bangladesh if proper structures are built and institutions are fixed and made suitable for democratic processes.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
