Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expressed disappointment over Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus’s address to the nation delivered on Sunday marking 100 days of the interim government.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has voiced frustration over the chief adviser’s address to the nation as he (Dr Yunus) did not outline plans for the national election.
“When the speech, a well-drafted one, has raised hopes of the people. I am a bit disappointed... We hoped that the chief adviser would highlight pressing problems and propose a roadmap for elections,” Mirza Fakhrul said while speaking at a discussion held at the National Press Club in the capital on Monday.
He, however, warned BNP leaders and workers not to create a distance from the students who made the movement against the Awami League regime a success.
BNP organized the discussion meeting marking the 48th death anniversary of country’s legendary leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani. Speaking at the discussion, Mirza Fakhrul emphasised that the election can solve half of the country’s problems regardless of whether BNP comes to power or not.
Besides, he said, those who want to harm and destabilise the country and lead the country into conflicts will be forced to back down if an
elected government is formed with the mandate of the people.
“We don’t just want reforms, we have initiated them and we will carry out them. We request you to move forward with a people-accepted approach. We have not created any obstacles so far; rather we are supporting you in every case,” he said.
The BNP leader questioned how the government will carry out reforms while associates of the autocrats are still holding their positions at the Secretariat. “I believe this government and the youth will be able to build a new Bangladesh,” said Mirza Fakhrul.
He also said it is a fact that the students finally played the major role in ousting the Sheikh Hasina regime, though BNP had struggled for 17 years. “So, we shouldn’t create any distance with the students. We should think about it. Students are saying many things, and they have that right,” he added.
He said that BNP wants reforms to be done within a logical time; otherwise, people will get the impression that the government has bad intentions to stay in power for a longer period. “From our experience, we are saying to hold the election for the welfare of the nation,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul said that the election should be arranged after completion of the necessary reforms.
Referencing the tenure of the Moinuddin-led caretaker government, he said, “Their attempts to form a so-called King's Party failed as the people rejected it, forcing them to flee the country.”
Mirza Fakhrul recalled Maulana Bhashani’s contributions to the nation as a patriotic politician. “His presence is felt in our entire existence,” he uttered.
Born in an ordinary family, Mirza Fakhrul said, Bhashani was an exceptional and legendary national leader.
Earlier, on Sunday, Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus said the government would issue a roadmap for the election once decisions on electoral reforms are made.
