Bangladesh remains non-communal, people will prove it again in next election: Fakhrul
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that his party has always aspired to build Bangladesh as a non-communal nation, yet there are now deliberate attempts to see the country through a religious lens.
He hoped that the people in the forthcoming national election will once again give their verdict affirming that Bangladesh truly stands for secularism and believes in Bangladeshi nationalism.
Mirza Fakhrul made these remarks while speaking to newspersons following a meeting with leaders of the Bangladesh Christian Forum at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka on Monday.
The BNP secretary general further said a worrying trend has become visible in today’s politics.
The liberation war in 1971 was fought to establish a distinct national identity. But now, efforts are being made to erase that identity and to promote a different kind of ideological thinking. This is not a good sign for Bangladesh.BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
“The liberation war in 1971 was fought to establish a distinct national identity. But now, efforts are being made to erase that identity and to promote a different kind of ideological thinking. This is not a good sign for Bangladesh,” he observed.
He reiterated that BNP firmly believes in upholding the spirit of secularism.
“We all believe Bangladesh is a non-communal country, and we want to nurture and strengthen that ideal as a nation,” Fakhrul said.
Turning to the issue of the proportional representation (PR) system, as proposed by the reform commission, Mirza Fakhrul stated that such a system should not be implemented right now.
The core problem with the PR system is that it reduces the voter’s ability to choose individual candidates; they would be voting for a party rather than a person. This undermines the very concept of direct representation.BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
He argued that it is a new and unfamiliar concept to the general public, and therefore, the decision should be left to the next parliament.
“We have always demanded a free, fair, and acceptable election,” Fakhrul said. “The government and the election commission are trying to move in that direction, but certain developments have made us concerned. The core problem with the PR system is that it reduces the voter’s ability to choose individual candidates; they would be voting for a party rather than a person. This undermines the very concept of direct representation,” he added.
Fakhrul warned that introducing a new and complex electoral system at this point could confuse the electorate. “For people who are eager to see the establishment of a democratic government and a swift election, this is indeed a matter of concern,” he concluded.