Elected parliament is better to create new constitution or massive reform: Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam thinks an elected parliament is better for massive change in the constitution or bringing a new one. The task is tough, if not impossible.

Fakhrul said this while speaking with journalists at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office on Saturday morning.

About major constitutional reform, the BNP leader said, ‘This government (interim government) should have formed a revolutionary government without taking oath under the current constitution. That did not happen.’

He said BNP has started working on which changes should be made in the constitution.

The BNP leader showered praise at the committee formed by the interim government to reform the constitution and said they will do the task very well but they will have to take into consideration the will of the people.

He said taking people’s ‘mandate’ is the safest way to bring any massive change in the government.

Mirza Fakhrul also touched upon different issues such as extradition of Sheikh Hasina, tenure of the current government and unrest in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Replying to a question on the tenure of this government, the BNP leader said it depends on the works of this government. But the longer this government stays, the greater will be the loss of society and politics as there is no alternative to political governance.

"It’s proven that democracy is the best policy. When democracy is functional, the relations with the masses remain stronger. Depoliticization will never bode well for Bangladesh," he added.

About Sheikh Hasina’s extradition from India, the BNP leader said the interim government should bring her back immediately and bring her to justice.

"If she (Sheikh Hasina) is a true politician, she could come and face like our leader (Khaleda Zia) did. She was in London but had returned to face trial and subsequently went to jail," he said.

The current interim government is lacking in political knowledge since most of its members are technocrats, bureaucrats and academicians while two are student leaders and some are NGO officials.

“This (lacking) can be bridged if it can hold regular dialogue with political parties from time to time. But perhaps that is not happening much."

Those who were in key positions in the previous fascist government are still holding offices, alleged Mirza Fakhrul.

He also expressed concerns over the recent unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), alleging that it may be part of a calculated plot to destabilise the interim government.

“I do not consider the recent incidents in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to be isolated ones. There are many factors involved,” he said.