Adviser Mahfuz Alam on Saturday said the interim government will take decisions regarding reforms through holding consultations with political parties and stakeholders, reports BSS.
Mahfuj said: “We have plans to conduct greater consultation with all the political parties and stakeholders after getting reports, from the commissions, which is expected to be in hand in January. The government alone will not take any decision regarding reforms.”
The adviser was addressing the closing session of the first day of National Dialogue 2024 titled “Unity, Reform, and Elections” organized by the Forum for Bangladesh Studies at the Krishibid Institute in capital’s Khamarbari.
Mahfuj said: “Everything about the reforms will be decided through consulting with the political parties: how much reform is possible, what will be short-term ones and what will be kept for long-term.”
“And then it will be clear before the people and political parties what are our priority reforms and what we will be able to do”, he said, adding: “Most of the demands from political parties regarding reforms have been integrated with the activities of the interim government.”
Mahfuj said: "If you fail to establish the state, what will you do with the unity. State is mainly dependent on its institutions. We criticize the 1972 constitution because through the constitution, the possibilities of establishing a state institution have been destroyed.”
If the institutions cannot be established as an institution of state and people, then the reforms will be nothing but a change in power, he said, adding: "We also need to discuss whether there will be any legal framework through which the next government can be made accountable to the people regarding carrying out the reforms activities".
Those who sacrificed their lives wanted to establish a state based on justice and accountability, he said, adding: "It's the major event we got after 1971 to reform and establish the country. If we fail to strengthen the state's major institutions this time using the opportunity, everything will go in vain.”
Mahfuj Alam later urged people of the country to criticize the government and make it accountable saying: "We want the people to make the government accountable as it accelerates government's work speed. Having huge criticism from people is crucial for the government to run the state in a better way.”
Mentioning that the interim government does not have that much manpower to run the state after rooting out the previous system completely, Mahfuj expected cooperation from all political parties and countrymen.
Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Former BNP state minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milan, Adviser to the BNP's acting chairperson Dr Mahadi Amin, Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant secretary general Hamidur Rahman Azad, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) Member Secretary Mojibur Rahman Manju, Millennium University Chairperson Roksana Khandaker, Human rights activist Ilira Dewan, Advocate Dilruba Sharmin, Gono Odhikar Parishad General Secretary Rashed Ahmed, General Secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Nasir Uddin Nasir and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir president Manjurul Islam also addressed the session, moderated by Syed Abdullah.
In the previous session, President of Gono Odhikar Parishad (GAP) Nurul Haque Nur called on national unity saying: “The unity that we had before August 5, is declining day by day. We are again being gradually divided in the question of election and reformation. For us this government is a revolutionary government though not elected by the people but nominated by the people.”
"We saw that some groups want elections before reformation which will destroy our national interest", he said, adding: "We can put the Election aside and concentrate on the reformation."
Convener of Jatiya Nagorik Committee Nasiruddin Patwary emphasized on building a new political settlement and system where there will be no discrimination and people irrespective of race, caste, gender and religion will have the same rights and opportunities.
He said: "We got an opportunity to reform the whole system. I want to see Bangladesh free from the domination of the neighboring country. People will have the right to vote whoever they want, people will have the freedom of speech, and there will be no black marketing and money laundering."
Professor Salimullah Khan laid emphasis on sustainable and inclusive reformation of the whole system including the education sector, state and political reformation, and economic reformation of the country.
He said: "There are some institutions where elections have no impact like the judiciary. There is no reflection of public engagement in our judicial system. So, we have to bring permanent reformation in the sectors.”
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
