Forming a new political party “King’s Party” under the government’s liaison is now the talk of the country. Politicians said that forming a King’s Party while in power will not yield good results. Political parties must be people’s party, not the King’s Party. Details are in interviews of three leaders, conducted by Shafiqul Islam Sohag and Akteruzzaman.
Forming King’s Party while in power doesn’t lead to good outcome: Ruhul Kabir Rizvi
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that forming a King’s Party while in power will not yield good results.
He said: “We expect that the country will go on a positive direction under the interim government’s leadership. The government will take those issues into consideration that people take positively.”
“If we work on any controversial issue, the controversy will further spark. Therefore, we should work on issues that are essential for the country and democracy.”
On Monday, he made these remarks while discussing the King’s Party formation in an interview with Bangladesh Pratidin at BNP’s central office in capital’s Naya Paltan.
Mr Rizvi said: “The countrypeopel have high expectations from the interim government. We hope that this government will not replicate Awami League led government’s activities.
“This government would have reached out to the people more if it had quickly arranged for a free and fair election,” he furthered, adding: “Some in the government are saying- why is there such a rush?”
The senior politician said: “The Awami League has deprived the people of their voting rights for 15 years; people’s rights were taken away. There was no need for elections during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.”
Explaining Hasina’s activities regarding elections, he said: “Hasina would decide who would be the MP, the Chairman. Whom she nominated, passed!”
“After ‘passing’ the vote, they could loot and seize- at a point they would fight themselves and kill their party men,” he said, adding: “With Sheikh Hasina’s decision, human traffickers, gold smugglers and robbers also became MPs.”
He said that Awami looters have bought flats, plots in cities like New York, where rich people like Donald Trump live.
Rizvi defines reforms as the process of learning to say no to injustice and irregularities. If the head of government wrongly asks someone to jail, to sentence and if the judge says no, this is reform. If the DC-SPs work in the right way without listening to the wrong orders of the minister-MP, this is reform.
But this didn’t happen during Sheikh Hasina regime; the lower court unjustly sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years and the higher court raised it to ten.
Later, the lower court justice was rewarded with promotion and the high court judge was rewarded by being made a judge of the Appellate Division. On the other hand, the Judge who acquitted Tarique Rahman in false case was acquitted.
Mr Rizvi said: “Theft and robbery have increased. Nine people were killed by robbers today. But the government is unable to coordinate with the administration.”
He added that when they say something, they [people close to government] say “politicians have failed to do anything in 54 years”
He said that everything in 1971, ’90 and ’24 was coordinated by politicians.
“It is not credible that you [interim government] will shut down electricity and make a master plan for reforms,” he said. At the same time he urged the interim government to maintain the trust and confidence that the country and the people have in you.
BNP shows fear of bugbears as it cannot loot: Samantha Sharmin
Spokesperson of Jatiya Nagorik Committee Samantha Sharmin said that the responsible people of BNP are calling them King’s Party. Basically, BNP is showing people the fear of bugbears, and they [people] should scrutinize whether it is related to BNP’s fears.
She said: “We demanded for constitution change, but they couldn’t agree on this matter. They may think that if the constitution is changed and there are large-scale reforms in the policy-making of the country, then they will not be able to do extortion, tender rigging, looting and terrorism that are happening now.”
“BNP has a history of these crimes,” Mrs Samantha made these remarks while talking to Bangladesh Pratidin on Monday.
She said: “The ‘new family’ that BNP dreaming of may not happen anymore, that’s why they may be slandering our King’s Party.”
She said: “We hope that they will understand the aspirations of the young people of this country and will refrain from such threats. It is necessary for everyone to work together to rebuild the country.”
Mrs Samantha said: “Question has risen as they are pushing the people aside in confusion.”
Entitling BNP as the first King’s Party in the independent Bangladesh, Shamantha said: “Those who call us King’s Party claim the power in coup.”
Then she said that they didn’t want to say these words. But BNP was trying to obstruct their organizational process. “We don’t want to do ‘blame politics’,” she furthered, adding that they have a lot of organizational work to do.
Spokesperson Samantha said: “We are still in the organizational process, and these are the only tools to form a political party.”
“We are working to unite people,” she said, adding that still they are not thinking of the party name, leaders as they found these ‘not important’. “It will be decided as time requires.”
Regarding the National Parliament Elections, she said: “The scenario is not like others are asking for an early election and we are asking for late. Our point is that the reform commissions should be allowed to work independently. We think that now is a good time to restructure and speed up the work.”
Samantha Sharmin said that they also want elections to be held as early as possible in line with the reform works. She said: “The upcoming elections have come with a lot of hopes and aspirations and a lot of sacrifices.”
Mrs Samantha said that they don’t want an election where anyone has doubts, fears or objections about anything. No one should suspect that the Election Commission may not have been able to work properly.
She said: “It will be a source of great disappointment for us if there are any questions about the upcoming national elections.”
It should not be a King’s Party, should be a people's party: Mahmudur Rahman Manna
President of the Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna said BNP is a people’s party. The party, formed 30-40 years ago, is entirely dependent on the people. However, there is no way to debate that Ziaur Rahman Saheb formed the party when he was in power.
Whether “it can be called country’s first King’s Party or not- we have to think about it,” he added.
The senior politician made these remarks in an interview with Bangladesh Pratidin on much talked King’s Party formation.
He said: “Anyone can form political party, but why King’s Party? If a new party has to be formed, then the party must be ‘public’s party’.”
Being asked whether the new King’s Party create new divisions in the country, or create new leadership, Mr Manna said: “We have to wait. Anyone can form a party, but we have to see what they want? After observing their activities, we answer.”
“They will not be able creating divisions anymore rather making noise for a few days,” he furthered.
Being asked for his opinion on Jatiya Nagarik Committee leader Muhammad Nasiruddin Patwari’s comment “Ziaur Rahman has formed first party while in power- hence; BNP is the first King’s Party in country” remark, Manna said: “It could be his opinion, and it is true that Ziaur Rahman formed the party while in power.”
He said: “We have to think about- whether it can be called the first King’s Party or not.”
“Aftet 30-40 years, it has become people’s party. There is no doubt that BNP is now a people’s party.” Mr Manna said: “It can’t be denied that he formed a party while in power.
The revolutionaries of the anti-discrimination movement and the Jatiya Nagarik Committee leaders are saying reforms should be followed by elections- is this a procrastination to organize their party?
Mr Manna said: “Reforms are an ongoing process- it continues. Therefore, elections should be held after completing the reforms that are needed for a free, fair and meaningful national election.
He said: “However, elections must be held. The remaining reforms will be implemented by the elected government. And the next government will implement more reforms. The reforms will continue.”
Jatiya Nagarik Committee said the country will head towards civil war if the national election is held before completing Awami League’s trial. On the other hand BNP is asking for a quick arrangement for National Parliament Election. What your opinion on these demands is?
Manna, former DUCSU VP, said: “They can demand a genocide trial, and everyone in the country wants the trial process to start. But, National Election after completing trial process- it cannot be logical.”
“If it takes five to ten years to complete the genocide trial - then won’t there be elections in five to ten years?” he threw a question, and answered saying: “This is illogical.”
Jatiya Nagarik Committee also says that those who are independent in local government should be retained as councilors or administrators. Is this a formula of indirectly the rehabilitation of the Awami League?
Answering the question, Manna said: “I don’t know whether the independent councilors or administrators were from the Awami League or not – but if this formula is implemented, the Awami League will be rehabilitated again.”
Many people think that some coordinators and leaders of Jatiya Nagarik Committee are from Jamaat E Islami and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir. What do you think?
“Could be,” Manna said, adding: “Their inclusion in many political parties has been known before. It could still be.”
Answering to a question, Manna said: “Uncertainty can often be seen even within peace. This will be understood after a few days. A lot of it will depend on the government’s actions.”
Translated by Afsar Munna
