Staff Reporter:
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday hoped that the country’s people will immediately see the most credible national election in the country’s history under the leadership of Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus.
“Our expectation is now that the people will immediately see the most free and impartial national elec-tion in the country’s history under the leadership of a skilled and competent and internationally ac-claimed head of interim government,” he said while virtually addressing a discussion.
The National People’s Party (NPP) arranged the program at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bang-ladesh, marking its 18th founding anniversary.
Tarique said political parties have once again met the Chief Adviser and demanded a clear announcement of the date and time of the national election. “BNP has demanded that the national election must be held by next December.”
He said BNP and those who have long been protesting on the streets together have continued their full cooperation with the interim government for the necessary reforms in public administration and law and order forces to hold the national election.
“Taking advantage of any excuse or unnecessary delay in establishing a government accountable to the people in the people’s Bangladesh through the people’s vote, the fallen, fugitive and defeated autocrat is waiting to rise up,” the BNP leader warned.
He, however, said it is possible to prevent the rehabilitation of fascists, subversives, and evil forces by establishing the rights of the people of a fascism-free Bangladesh.
“Although we see procedural and systematic differences among the anti-fascist political parties in terms of our respective party ideology and programs, I firmly believe that the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh are united as they were on August 5 on the one-sided issue of tackling the rise of fascism in the larger interest of the country and the people,” Tarique said.
Tarique, however, said the interim government is certainly not accountable to the people. “So, the gov-ernment’s specific plans need to be made clear to the public for moral reasons.”
He also warned that no plan can become effective and sustainable if the people are kept in the dark and political parties left in uncertainty.
The BNP leader said people may not expect the interim government to carry out all activities like a gov-ernment directly elected by the people, except for performing some routine functions.
Tarique said local and foreign investment has stagnated due to the lack of a stable democratic govern-ment in the country.
