Hope of minus 2 not to be fulfilled, election is the first reform: Amir Khasru

The first task to establish democracy in Bangladesh is holding elections. Election is the first reform, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said Friday.

“The hope of minus 2 will never be fulfilled,” remarked Amir Khasru, while paying his homage to the party’s founder and former president Ziautr Rahman, placing wreaths at his grave in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area on Friday morning.

Earlier, he placed the wreath along with the New York chapter of BNP president Oliullah Atikur Rahman, vice-president Jasim Uddin and general secretary Saidur Rahman and some other expat leaders.

Amir Khasru said democracy has to be established in Bangladesh. The first task for this is holding the election.

Terming elections as the first reforms, the senior BNP leader insisted the reform initiatives and the movement to reestablish democracy have to be started with this. “The aspirations for changes will be fulfilled through democratic process in the future.”

Amir Khasru further said if someone talks about depoliticisation or minus two, those would be their figment of imagination and their problem. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is standing with the country as the most popular party at the crossroad. Most popular leaders in the country are Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. Bangladesh is waiting for them and will continue to wait.

“Those who speak about minus two, this is their wishful thinking. That will never be fulfilled. Ershad could not do that, not even during the 1/11 days. And, currently BNP is more powerful than any time in the past. The party cannot be exterminated,” he stated while talking to the media.

Khasru, also a former commerce minister, said these people remained active for 16 years in various areas of the US in movements against fascists, crimes against humanity and anti-authoritarianism. They were in front of the White House, in front of Capitol Hill, and even in front of the World Bank office; they chanted slogans there, and protested. Cases were filed against them and their relatives. They faced torture, their relatives also faced those. Many of their families sacrificed their lives.

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury thanked those dedicated leaders and activists.

BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Abdus Salam and other central leaders also were present there.