Country can't move forward amid so much division and crisis: Matiur Rahman

Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman has said that creating an environment of national unity and reconciliation is now the most important task for Bangladesh.

“No country can survive with so much conflict, so much division, and so many crises. Nor can any government effectively run a country under such conditions,” he said.

Matiur Rahman made the remarks at a view exchange meeting organised on the occasion of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s “historic return to the homeland.”

The meeting was held on Sunday afternoon at the Radisson Blu Hotel and was organised by the “Tarique Rahman–Homecoming Committee,” bringing together editors of daily newspapers and online news portals, heads of news at radio and television stations, and media personalities. The meeting was chaired by the committee’s convener and BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed.

At the meeting, Matiur Rahman said a prolonged political vacuum has developed in the country, which is dangerous. In this context, he said that had Tarique Rahman been able to return to the country earlier, the situation might have been somewhat different for both the BNP and the country. He noted that Tarique Rahman’s absence created opportunities for confusion and unanswered questions within the BNP.

Matiur Rahman said various surveys still show the BNP as the country’s largest party, with the possibility of a landslide victory in elections. However, he cautioned, “For a party that is about to come to power, its leadership, conduct, and humility become even more important.”
He added that there is little public enthusiasm about the BNP’s candidate list, and suggested it may be worth reconsidering candidates in some constituencies.

Matiur Rahman believes the coming days will be the most difficult time for any governing party in Bangladesh’s last 50 years. He expressed hope that the BNP would demonstrate greater tolerance and a stronger willingness to accept criticism.

The Prothom Alo editor said he is not claiming that newspapers were entirely at ease during BNP rule, but that the period was comparatively more tolerant. In contrast, he said, during the past 15–16 years under the authoritarian regime, the newspaper industry endured its greatest fear and pressure.

Matiur Rahman said, “During this time, not only Prothom Alo but the entire media had to operate under severe pressure. In some cases, it was extreme.”

He mentioned direct interference by various intelligence agencies, including the DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence), as well as attempts to change ownership, replace editors, and transfer shares.
Matiur Rahman said that if the BNP comes to power in the future, ensuring press freedom alone will not be enough; the biggest responsibility will be to create an environment of national unity and reconciliation. No country can move forward with such a deeply divided society.

Emphasising that a government genuinely committed to democracy must listen to criticism from the press, Matiur Rahman said, “They should listen and understand—whether they accept it or not is the government’s decision. But if they do not listen, mistakes will inevitably be repeated.”

Editors from various media outlets, senior journalists, media personalities, and senior BNP leaders were present at the meeting.