What’s wrong if army chief talks about returning to democratic process: Amir Khasru

Referring to all eyes on the Army Chief’s statement following Sheikh Hasina’s departure on 5 August, BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury questioned, “What’s the problem if the Army Chief now speaks in favour of returning to the democratic process?”

Citing the army chief’s proposal as a positive move, the senior BNP leader said, “He spoke about establishing democracy.”

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury made the remarks while addressing an event in the capital’s DRU Auditorium on Monday.

“It is not possible to form a unity solely for the benefit of one individual. It is unacceptable to hinder democracy in the name of reform. The BNP spoke about reform seven years ago. Our 27-point agenda, along with those who participated in the simultaneous movement, later evolved into a 31-point agenda through coordination. Therefore, the call for reform is ours. Those who now speak of implementation — this is not originally their idea," the BNP leader said.

The BNP leader further said, “No one has the right to snatch people’s right to vote. How many of the student leaders who put the interim government in power are still united? When will they achieve popularity and then go into polls? People are not ignorant. They understand the game quite well.”

Amir Khasru said, “The longer a non-democratic government holds power, the bigger the control over freedom of speech. The country will return to democratic ways as soon as the government declares a roadmap for the upcoming election. We want an environment where a partisan government can continue to work with the interim government even after the end of their term.”

He said people’s sacrifices during the July uprising were not being recognised or remembered properly. “Will it be credible if only a few individuals take the entire credit instead of the unsung heroes of the uprising? It now seems that Hasina fled solely based on a few people's words."

He warned that it would not be good for any one if the nation is divided for one person taking all the credit. “We must accept the history. We must not forget those who were killed or were subjected to torture while in imprisonment.”

He further said, “The members of the advisory council were nowhere to be found to give any statement during Sheikh Hasina’s rule. What would happen to the politicians if Hasina was still in power? Some would have been killed or been held in the ‘aynaghar’ (secret detention centre) or been imprisoned for life. However, what the advisers would have been doing? They would be with their own works.”