Staff Reporter:
Fundamental reforms to uproot pro-fascist state mechanisms must be completed by the current transitional government, as history shows that elected governments overlook the issue even after making bold pre-election pledges, NCP Convener Nahid Islam has said.
Nahid claimed that after the 1990 uprising against military dictator Ershad, a political party made reform pledges to pre-empt a return of dictatorship in the country. However, upon being elected, the party simply avoided taking steps in this regard, Nahid said when delivering a virtual address at an Iftar mahfil in Sirajganj on Friday.
He did not name any party by name, but it was BNP that formed government after 1991 general elections and the ouster of Ershad.
BNP senior leaders are now again pledging to adopt reform initiatives only after being elected, and warning that reforms before elections would delay polls while destabilising the country.
In his address, Nahid said justice for the crimes committed by Awami League fascist government during the past 15 years must also be ensure before elections. Like reforms, the trials against Awami League could also be slowed or scrapped altogether after elections, he said.
There is no guarantee the trials would be allowed to continue, he warned, demanding speedy completion of the trials to pave way for swift polls.
Some political parties are trying to avoid state reforms and ignore the issue, he alleged, calling upon all political stakeholders to be united on the issue of reforms.
Looking back at history, different political parties pledged to bring change in the country’s government dynamics, but did not keep its words upon being elected.
The same cannot be allowed to happen this time, otherwise the sacrifices of over 2,000 martyrs of last year’s uprising would go in vain, said Nahid, himself a key leader of the anti-fascist uprising.
He reiterated his newly formed party’s demand for holding constituent assembly elections to rewrite the constitution and remove its pro-fascist provisions.
Nahid thanks Sirajganj for its pivotal role in the uprising against Awami League, and hoped the district would continue to serve as a bastion of NCP, the newly launched party of uprising leaders.
