Saiful Haque, general secretary of Biplobi Workers Party (the Revolutionary Workers' Party), has commented that reforms and elections can go hand in hand to ensure the democratic aspirations of the people.
"Since 1971, the aspirations and expectations of the people of Bangladesh have been repeatedly shattered. Even after the mass uprising of the 1990s, expectations have been shattered. Dreams have turned into nightmares. I don't want that nightmare to repeat again," he added.
Saiful Haque made these remarks at the beginning of the meeting of the National Consensus Commission with the Revolutionary Workers' Party of Bangladesh on the issue of reforms at the LD Hall of the National Parliament today, Tuesday.
The National Consensus Commission is holding a meeting with the Revolutionary Workers' Party of Bangladesh today as part of discussions with political parties on important recommendations of the reform commissions formed by the interim government.
Commenting on the past 16 years of bad culture, enforced disappearances, murders, and human rights violations, Saiful Haque said, "We do not want to go back to the old days. We want to see and build a country where no one is deprived because of different religion, belief, culture, political and social identity."
Saiful Haque said, "Our main objective will be to ensure the constitutional democratic rights of the people and to reach a minimum national consensus based on everyone's discussion, so that we can walk on the path of implementing the three fundamental foundations of the declaration of the Liberation War - equality, human rights and justice."
"Each political party has made various promises to the people, keeping in mind democratic rights and the rights of good citizens. Therefore, we believe that reforms and elections can go hand in hand to ensure the democratic aspirations of the people," he said.
At the beginning of the meeting, National Consensus Commission vice chairman Professor Ali Riaz said, "Reform of the state is not an initiative of the interim government. It is the aspiration of the people of Bangladesh. We want to institutionalise this aspiration of the people."
Ali Riaz said, “We must not fail the uprising of the students and people. We all have a common goal. That goal is to build such a state that ensures democratic rights. No one will be deprived of their constitutional rights for their opinion, belief and identity.”
He further said, “The people of Bangladesh were deprived of their political and constitutional rights during the fascist regime that lasted for 16 years. People witnessed enforced disappearances. However, it ended with an unprecedented and historic mass uprising and the meetings we are holding today are the result of this.”
“The aspirations of the July uprising depend on the national consensus and it will be attained through the ongoing dialogues with the political parties,” he added.