Dhaka: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir emphasized today that consolidating anti-fascist national unity is paramount and called upon the interim government to demonstrate utmost impartiality to prevent any faction from obtaining undue political advantage.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, during a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Fakhrul underscored the democratic essence of the state, asserting that the power of the people is embodied in the elected parliament and its members. He expressed concern over the interim government’s approach, suggesting it sidelined politicians in favor of political opportunists, potentially creating space for them at the expense of true democratic representation.
Fakhrul condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, urging the global community to take swift action to halt the conflict. In a written statement, he recalled Bangladesh’s liberation from fascism through a massive uprising in July and August 2024, a culmination of a 16-year anti-fascist movement aimed at achieving equality, human dignity, and social justice, and establishing a robust democratic system devoid of discrimination.
He argued that the elected parliament is the sole legitimate body for constitutional reform, providing a legal foundation for reform proposals. Stressing national unity as the driving force for progress, Fakhrul urged that it be maintained as a political culture, warning against actions that could fracture or weaken it.
Fakhrul insisted that the interim government must remain neutral to preserve national unity and avoid facilitating any group’s political gain. He highlighted that the ultimate aim of reforms is to safeguard Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty, advocating for simultaneous reform and election processes to prevent any controversies over which should precede.
He proposed that the interim government prioritize organizing a free and impartial national election promptly after necessary reforms, transferring power to an elected government, which he believes will be best positioned to undertake reforms aligned with public interests.
Fakhrul criticized the involvement of certain interim government advisers in forming a new political party, which he said has led to public suspicion regarding their intentions. He noted administrative maneuvers perceived as supportive of this new party, cautioning that such actions could harm the country’s democracy.
He also criticized the National Consensus Commission’s approach of presenting reform proposals on a spreadsheet with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ option, arguing it oversimplified complex issues. The spreadsheet, he noted, included only a fraction of the proposals made by the Constitution Reform and Election Reform Commissions, potentially misleading the public.
Fakhrul expressed concerns over perceived misuse of government resources in the reform process and criticized proposals to appoint unelected individuals to high executive positions, calling such moves undesirable. He warned that creating multiple new commissions as proposed would weaken the legislative and executive branches, leading to an ineffective government.