Nahid Islam calls on prof Yunus, former advisers to take to streets on reform issue

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has called on former advisers—including Professor Muhammad Yunus and former law adviser Asif Nazrul—to take to the streets to ensure the implementation of reforms.

“We gave them power through people’s blood, but they have disappointed us. However, to preserve whatever has been achieved, they too must come to the street,” he said.

He made these remarks while speaking to journalists upon his return from Umrah at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Nahid Islam, who is also the opposition chief whip in the National Parliament, said that after securing a two-thirds majority in the election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is disregarding everything. He alleged that they are not accepting the verdict of the referendum, are offering new excuses, and introducing various proposals. Among important ordinances, 10 to 11 are not being brought to Parliament, meaning they will not be turned into law. Through this, he claimed, the BNP government wants to retain the previous authoritarian system where executive power remains absolute.

Nahid Islam said, “Dr Muhammad Yunus, Asif Nazrul, and other advisers who played important roles must take responsibility. They were the ones who introduced these ordinances. Now that these are being repealed, they must speak out. Dr Muhammad Yunus must break his silence.”

The NCP convener also alleged that the interim government handed over power to the BNP through “election engineering.”

He said it cannot be the case that these laws and ordinances will be repealed, reforms will not happen, and the former advisers will remain silent and return to their own careers.

“They too must face the court of the people,” he added.

Responding to a question about the situation in Parliament, Nahid Islam said, “What is happening in the National Parliament is a kind of drama. Discussions are being held on the President’s speech—who was not supposed to remain in office for so long.”

He added that the kind of discussions they want cannot take place in Parliament due to the lack of a proper environment, forcing them to take to the streets.

When asked whether Parliament has become ineffective, Nahid Islam said, “It is the ruling party that is making Parliament ineffective. We want Parliament to function effectively. Two elections have taken place—the referendum and the national election. The Parliament formed based on the national election is functioning. But another election, which was supposed to lead to the formation of a Constitution Reform Council, has been rendered ineffective by the BNP government. As a result, Parliament has already become half ineffective.”