Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said BNP does not fear the reform initiatives, rather it always welcomes reforms.
“Reform started with BNP. BNP doesn’t fear reform, rather it welcomes it,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a memorial and discussion at the National Press Club this afternoon.
Shafiul Bari Memorial Council organised the event commemorating the fifth death anniversary of the late Shafiul Bari Babu, former central general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal.
Regarding reform, Mirza Fakhrul said, “Many do not see anything good in reform, but I see some posi-tive aspects. All political parties have agreed on reforms in 12 fundamental areas, which is definitely positive.”
He thanked Dr. Ali Riaz and his team for their tireless efforts, stating, “Many criticize us saying that we don’t want reform. But the idea of reform is ours. We initiated reform. Before 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the mastermind of fascism, buried democracy and established the one-party BaKSAL rule. Who did bring back multi-party democracy from that BaKSAL? Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.”
He concluded by saying, “These reforms are ours. Therefore, we do not fear reform; we welcome it. We are thankful that we (political parties) have agreed in at least 12 areas.”
