Let’s not try to rehabilitate fallen autocrat’s associates: Tarique Rahman

Doubts and suspicions are being injected to break the anti-fascist national unity while turning secondary issues into major ones, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman thinks.

He said the interim government should not take any step through which the associates of the fugitive autocrat get a chance to be rehabilitated in the state and politics.

Tarique Rahman said this while addressing virtually an iftar party the BNP organised in honour of professionals in the capital’s Eskaton Ladies Club on Friday.

The BNP acting chairman said the fallen autocrat’s associates still have billions of taka, looted from the state coiffeur and the people’s pocket, in their possession. Holding the local government elections in this situation before the parliamentary elections means creating an opportunity for the rehabilitation of the fallen autocrat’s friends, who have been hiding.

Tarique mentioned that none of the nearly 35 million young voters could cast their ballots during the mafia rule of over 15 years. To ensure the political empowerment of these voters, a national election is needed first of all.

No reform will be sustainable unless the citizens are politically empowered, he remarked.

BNP acting chairman also believes that the way reforms and elections are being put face to face is politically motivated.

He said, “The way reforms and elections have currently been put face to face is undoubtedly politically motivated. I would like to say to those, who are talking about holding national elections after completing reforms, that whatever is completed is not reforms. Because reforms never end. Reforms are a continuous process.”

Tarique Rahman said that the current constitution of the country, which the fugitive fallen dictator had almost turned into their party constitution by amending it at will, also states that a national parliament of people’s representatives will be formed through direct vote of the people.

Despite the clear mention in the constitution, the people of Bangladesh and the whole world have seen that parliament was repeatedly formed without the people’s vote during the fugitive fascist government, he added. “The fugitive autocrat did not respect the constitution.”

He said that the BNP believes that the practical application of democratic political rights and behaviour is more important in democratic politics than textbook-based reforms. “Reforms could become sustainable, successful and effective only through the democratic practice of the people.”

Tarique Rahman mentioned that many things about the state and politics depend on the politicians’ patriotism and principles of running state affairs.

In this case, the more effective role the prominent citizens and professionals in the state and society could play, the more responsible and strong the political government becomes, the BNP acting chief stated.

According to him, “If we compare politics to the roof of a well-organised house, then most probably civil society and professionals are the columns of that house. Therefore, in a state, politicians, civil society and professionals complement each other.”

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, journalist Shafiq Rehman, former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor ASM Faiz, economist Professor Mahbub Ullah, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Joynal Abedin, businessman Salah Uddin Alamgir, Dhaka University teacher Professor Sukomal Barua, actor Ilias Kanchan, editor of Daily Jugantor Abdul Hai Sikder, President of the National Press Club Hasan Hafiz, senior journalists M A Aziz and Syed Abdal Ahmed, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Teachers from various universities and colleges, Ulama-Mashaykhs, physicians, engineers, lawyers, agriculturists, journalists and people of various professions participated in the iftar.

BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, vice-chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Abdus Salam Pintu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Chairperson’s Advisor AM Abdul Halim, Ismail Zabiullah and other leaders were present at the event.