Tarique Rahman calls for election within December

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman expected to see a free and fair national election under the interim government.

He said a BNP delegation met with chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday, and reiterated its position that the national election should be held by next December.

Tarique Rahman made these remarks while addressing a discussion marking the 18th founding anniversary of National People’s Party (NPP) at the auditorium of the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in Kakrail, Dhaka on Sunday, virtually joining from London.

The BNP acting chairman further said that the people of the country want to see a free, and fair national election under this government immediately.

Calling for constructive criticism of the government, Tarique Rahman stated that whether it is an elected government, an interim government, or a caretaker government; citizens must continue to criticise the government constructively.

People of the country are not subjects of the government’s mercy, and the government must fulfil the people’s legitimate demands, he added.

The BNP acting chairman pointed out that domestic and foreign investment has become stagnant because of the absence of a stable democratic government in the country.

According to him, a sense of unease is arising among people from different professions and strata over the uncertain political and economic situation. As a result, people from various walks of life are taking to the streets everyday with their demands. But unfortunately it is true that there is no one to listen to their demands at this moment.

Tarique Rahman thinks that the interim government created a deadlock in revenue collection by imposing reforms on the National Board of Revenue (NBR) ahead of passing the national budget.

He said this is not a good thing for the economy. Everyone believes a democratically accountable government can play the most effective role to deal with such a situation.

Saying that reform is a continuous process, Tarique Rahman added there is no such thing as small or large scale reform. Reform is a continuous necessity for the state and politics. However, practical reforms are more necessary than theoretical or textbook reforms.

While the interim government may not face a moral or political legitimacy crisis, it is not accountable to the people. So, on moral grounds, the government should clearly communicate its specific plans to the public.

No plan can be implemented effectively or sustainably if the people are kept in the dark or political parties are left in uncertainty, he added.