Dhaka: Dr Mahdi Amin, Adviser of BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, today declared that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) remains dedicated to reinstating people’s power through necessary reforms. He made these remarks at a discussion titled ‘Reform and Reality: Bangladesh’s Changing Political Landscape,’ which took place at Hotel InterContinental in the capital city.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the discussion was part of the two-day Bengal Delta Conference organized by the Dhaka Institute of Research and Analytics (DIRA). During his speech, Dr Mahdi Amin highlighted the struggles BNP has faced over the past 16 years under an autocratic regime, which he claimed involved enforced disappearances, killings, and false cases against party members. He emphasized that BNP is determined to prevent such a political culture from taking root again in Bangladesh.
Dr Amin underscored that the BNP is committed to nurturing a multi-party democracy within its ranks, electing leaders from district to upazila levels through democratic processes. He recalled the vision for reform that BNP announced in 2016, noting that at the time, few political parties were discussing reform. BNP has consistently pushed the issue in response to the demands of the time.
He also pointed out the relevance of BNP’s 31-point reform proposal, asserting that many of the ideas presented by the interim government align with BNP’s agenda. Reflecting on the BNP government’s past failures to implement these reforms after 1990, Dr Amin emphasized that Bangladesh needs change and pledged that if BNP forms the government, it will return power to the people.
Dr Amin stressed that the party is not just proposing reforms but is actively working on overcoming the challenges of implementation. He acknowledged that differences of opinion exist within the party but asserted that these will not impede reform efforts. He stated that the BNP, a party comprising individuals with diverse views, will continue its reform initiatives to build the country as the people desire.
The session was moderated by Professor Dr Asif Shahan from the Department of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka. Other participants included Dr David Jackman, Lecturer at the Department of Development Studies, University of Oxford, and Tasnim Jara, Senior Joint Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP).