Reforms now or never: Adviser Sakhawat Hossain

If some reforms to the state cannot be done now they will never happen, Shipping Adviser M Brigadier General (retired) Sakhawat Hossain opined on Saturday.

He said, “We tried once in 2006 and did some reforms but that did not last because of the ruling political parties. If we cannot do it now and give the pretext of the constitution and other laws, then it will be injustice to those who gave blood for the July mass uprising. We are not saying either we will stay in power for 4-5 years. Reforms are possible within a year.”

M Sakhawat Hossain made the remarks while participating in a session of national dialogue on “Responsibility of reforms and roadmap to election”, at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in the capital on Saturday.

Saturday was the second day of the two-day dialogue on unity, reforms and elections. The dialogue has been organised by the Forum for Bangladesh Studies (FBS).

Saying that youths should be encouraged to form political parties, M Sakhawat Hossain added, “Youths should not be discouraged. We think new generations are necessary. Do not discourage them. We request political parties to encourage the youths and they are not your opponents. If you do not encourage them we will see this thing (the fall of Awami League). We may not see it today, but we see it again after 10 or 15 years.”

The adviser requested the political parties to keep patience. He said they are facing a difficult situation. To change electoral laws will not work. Electoral laws will change on political culture and system changes. Referring to his remarks made before the 12th parliamentary election, he mentioned, “I said before the election that everything will be gone away and eventually that has happened.”

To political parties, this adviser said, “We want stability in the country. We are facing a difficult situation and you (political parties) and they (the ruling parties) will face big challenges.”

M Sakhawat Hossain further said, “A very big challenge lies ahead of us. It is not just an internal issue the biggest challenge will come from outside. Our new neighbour is emerging. That is not normal it is different kind of neighbour. Arakan is a new reality now. We could not consider it for long but now we have to think about it.”

M Sakhawat Hossain, who is also a former election commissioner, thinks electoral laws of the country need massive reform. He said a permanent solution is necessary about elections.

BNP’s standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan differed with remarks of different panelists that the unity that was created among the political parties centring the movement against Awami League has cracked.

“We have differences of opinion on various issues. In fact it is needed for the wellbeing of democracy,” he opined.

Nazrul Islam said officials of administration are fretting over various demands but it is not time to complain, rather to cooperate.

No political or social organisation alone can bring all changes, he added.

Gono Forum’s co-chairman Subrata Chowdhury said expanding the purview of reform will bring forth a big risk. Division and discontent among political parties will become more visible if the election is delayed.

New Age editor Nurul Kabir suggested a unilateral education system for cohesion of the state.

He said reform is needed in legal and social structures to do away with division among the majority and minority.

Dainik Ittefaq’s executive editor Saleh Uddin moderated the session.