Interview: Rashed Khan Menon
BNP can create unrest at times, but can't stop the election
The 14 party alliance led by Awami League has taken to the field to stand up against BNP's one-point demand. This ruling alliance has announced a rally in Dhaka for 7 August. Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party, an ally of the 14 party alliance, speaks in an interview with Prothom Alo's Qadir Kallol about the government's stand regarding the opposition movement and the prevailing political situation.
In context of the one-point movement of BNP and other anti-government political parties, from various levels of the government it is being said that BNP cannot be allowed to come to power. You have made similar statements in the news media. What is the meaning of such statements?
I said the consequences of power going into BNP's hands must be taken into consideration. After all, BNP and Jamaat will take the country backwards again. The people are aware of their past deeds. That is why the people will not allow BNP and Jamaat to come to power again.
But the gatherings are growing in BNP's programmes. They are talking about taking their movement to the final stages to toppling the government. How do you view that?
With support from the US and other western countries, BNP has gathered right and extreme right-wing parties together. The people of Bangladesh will not support such rightists. They might be able to create some fragmented incidents, but will not be able to create any significant situation. They drew in people from all over the country and held a large gathering. Yet the very next day on 29 July their sit-in programme was a flop.
So the government and your 14 party alliance do not want to attach much importance to the opposition movement?
The government and the alliance are totally election-oriented. Till the very end the government will remain steadfast about holding the election on schedule. There is no scope to consider anything else.
But the manner in which the two sides have adopted confrontational stands, apprehensions prevail that the election may not even be held eventually. What do you think?
The election will take place. Even if BNP does not join, the election will take place. BNP may stay away from the election and try to stir up isolated incidents. It may create unrest at times, but it will not be able to stop the election.
You all are talking about holding the election in accordance to the present constitution. On the other hand, BNP maintains its one-point demand for the government to step down and says it will settle things on the streets. Do you deem this will create a crisis?
No, there will not be any crisis. But there will certainly be problems. After all, the election is ahead. It is the government's basic objective to ensure that this election is peaceful. BNP-Jamaat have called for a one-point demand and that is the problem. The people had been part of the movement against General Ershad. But the people are not invested in BNP-Jamaat's movement. So I do not consider their movement as a crisis. But they mind gather people and create problems in a fragmented manner from time to time. That is a problem, not a crisis.
If the issue is a problem shouldn't that be resolved through dialogue or discussions?
Dialogue is never one-sided. It is a two-sided matter. BNP and those with it in its movement are talking about a one-point demand. What discussion can there be about the government resigning? I do not see any dialogue happening on this issue.
So if there is no dialogue or understanding, will there be conflict and clashes on the streets?
There can be no dialogue on the demand that Sheikh Hasina must resign. Dialogue is not possible with such a stand of the opposition. And BNP itself has said they want to settle things on the streets. But their movement will not create any major crisis. As I said, they will create random incidents here and there, occasionally heat up the streets. This might give rise to uncertainty at times, but overall there will be no crisis. There will be no problem in the actual conducting of the election.
There are questions about both the 2014 election and that of 2018. If this time too a one-sided election is held keeping BNP out of the fray, the foreign quarters may put more pressure on the government as the US and other western countries are quite active about Bangladesh's election this time.
The government will hold the election even if BNP does not join. That may cause some criticism, even some sanctions, but the US needs Bangladesh as much as Bangladesh needs the US. So after the election there may be some criticism and debate for a few days, but that will not create any problems for the government. There will be no scope to raise questions of legitimacy either because the election will be held in accordance to the rules.
Say if an understanding is reached, BNP joins the election and BNP wins the election, will the Awami League government hand over power to BNP?
From the highest level of the government it has been said that the election will be free and fair and whoever wins, will form the government. But the election will be held under the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.