Tarique Rahman has observed that hostile relations between the political parties are a major barrier to national progress. In an exchange of opinion meeting with grassroots leaders and workers of the BNP on 31 August 2024, he made it clear that they would not take revenge for the repression they had undergone in the past 17 years.
“We’ll establish rule of justice,” he said. To him, political changeover does not mean mere transfer of power but qualitative change in the state. Thus, he promised that the BNP would not engage in politics of vengeance; rather it would create a congenial atmosphere for democratic politics.
The current political crisis is the outcome of failure of not just one government but the weakness in the mode of governance. Therefore, he stressed the importance of minimum agreement on national issues.
It is not possible to secure political stability without free and participatory elections. He repeatedly mentioned the issues such as Election Commission, the election-time administration and ensuring right to vote
Tarique Rahman has acknowledged that if the institutions of the state remain weak, ineffective and controversial despite change in power, political crisis will continue to arise again and again. The idea of his consensus is based on three pillars.
Firstly, restoration of democratic process: It is not possible to secure political stability without free and participatory elections. He repeatedly mentioned the issues such as Election Commission, the election-time administration and ensuring right to vote.
Secondly, reforms in state institutions: He thinks that democracy will remain a formality unless the judiciary, Anti-Corruption Commission, public administration and parliament can be made functional.
Thirdly, political tolerance and freedom of expression: Tarique Rahman has clearly stated that no government can be stable by repressing the opposition and suppressing the dissenting voice.
The BNP’s 31-point charter is not any political leaflet, rather a charter for reforms in the state created out of the political thinking of Tarique Rahman. It has spoken of reforms in every organ of the state.
The idea of bicameral parliament has been introduced in the 31-point charter. He believes that if there are two chambers of parliament, noted citizens and thinkers and highly skilled people can be made representatives for utilising their merit, experience and wisdom in formulating state policies.
BNP has proposed that there should be a balance between powers of the Prime Minister and the President since the constitution of Bangladesh has provided the former with absolute power. This is aimed at preventing authoritarianism. Proposal has also been made to keep a constitutional arrangement through re-introduction of election-time caretaker government in order to ensure free and fair elections. The BNP has also proposed that a Prime Minister can serve no more than two terms, so that none can emerge as autocrat like Sheikh Hasina.
Tarique Rahman dreams of such a Bangladesh where all people should have only been identified as Bangladeshis. “We all are Bangladeshis. There is no majority or minority in this country – all are citizens who would enjoy equal rights,” he told a virtual meeting with members of the Hindu community. He added that attacks on the places of worships or discrimination on the basis of religious consideration should be considered a crime. The concept of his rainbow nation has been consistent with the vision of undisputed, anti-apartheid leader of South Africa Nelson Mandela.
In the current debates on reforms, Tarique Rahman has made his position clear, saying that reforms are not the affairs of any political party alone; they must reflect the people’s aspirations. “Reforms are a continuous process, However, sustainable reforms are possible only when there is public mandate. Elected representatives can better carry out reforms maintaining accountability to the people,” he said adding that restoration of public rights to vote is the best reform.
Tarique Rahman has empowered the grassroots, simultaneously bringing them under accountability mechanism. He cautioned his party’s leaders and workers that those who would misbehave with the people or try to extort them, would not be spared. In an organisational directive, he asked the partymen to win the heart of the people. “Don’t show muscle to the people. The BNP is the party of the people. We don’t want to survive as a political party in case we lose their love.”
So, his statements prove, he has placed people at the centre stage of his politics.
Tarique Rahman has come up with an extraordinary offer: If the BNP emerges as a victorious party in the next general elections, it alone won’t form the government; rather a government of consensus would be constituted with the participation of alliance partners and other political parties who joined the movement for democracy. His proposal is contrary to the conventional politics where ‘winners take all’. This is the manifestation of his political vision of respecting consensus.
The acting Chairman of the BNP has been working to build a new Bangladesh. His statements indicate change in political culture. Distancing himself from old politics of grabbing power, he has put the agenda of reforms in the party and the state at the forefront of his politics.
He has added a new dimension to the Bangladeshi politics by emphasising the politics of consensus. The key question here, according to him, is not who would come to power but how the state would be run.
His focus on national consensus and 31-point charter is not any clever strategy, rather a realistic vision for building a modern and welfare state. The long exile and political struggle have made him a pragmatic leader. He wants to close the dark chapter of divisive politics in Bangladesh once and for all. We have reasons to be confident that Tarique Rahman’s vision is going to determine the political course of history.
Nargis Akter Banu is working at a government department in Australia.