BNP on Tuesday reached a consensus with Ganosanghati Andolan to wage a ‘simultaneous’ movement to ensure the fall of the Awami League government and establish a polls-time neutral government.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the remarks while talking to reporters after nearly a two-hour political dialogue with Ganosanghati Andolan.
“We’ve reached a consensus to establish a true government of people ousting the current awful fascist regime, which has destroyed our all achievements, through a mass upsurge by uniting the country’s all people and political parties. We’ve also agreed on a simultaneous movement,” he said.
Fakhrul said they also agreed on many other issues through the talks as they think no change would come in the country if the current government is not removed from power.
He said they have agreed that the current government must step down, Parliament has to be dissolved, an election-time government is formed and the election be conducted by an Election Commission to be constituted by the neutral administration after the fall of the Awami League one. “The future government and Parliament will be formed through that election.”
Echoing Zonayed Saki, he said some basic issues need to come up in the country’s politics to strengthen democracy. “Zonayed Saki talked about it. We also believe that some changes of fundamental things and amendments to the constitution are needed to give democracy an institutional shape. I hope we can reach a consensus on this issue through discussions.”
Referring to their party Acting Chairman Tarique Raman’s formula for a national government, Fakhrul said a government will be formed based on consensus through talks among the political parties–those will win the polls under a neutral administration. “That government will bring the changes and implement those.”
He said their discussions with Ganosanghati Andolan were very fruitful and such talks with other parties will continue.
“We believe that we will be able to take the process of talks with political parties to a logical stage by completing it very quickly, and we can stand as an effective opposition force. We’ll also be able to win against the government that is destroying the state machinery and people’s hopes and aspirations. We hope that we could form a people’s parliament and government. “
He said they hope that all other political parties will also agree to their party’s demand for the release of Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners and the withdrawal of cases against 35 lakh opposition leaders and activists.
Zonayed Saki said their party thinks that a movement is a must to overthrow the present government from power.
“If an outline (of a movement) from the opposition is presented before the nation, then people will get a fresh vigour and we’ll be able to force the current government to resign by forging greater unity. That is why we’ve initially agreed that the simultaneous movement should be carried out from our respective position,” he said.
The Ganosanghati Andolan leader said the government has put the country’s 18 crore people in the same line by snatching their voting rights. “Everyone will now launch a movement for the restoration of their voting rights.”
He said they talked about the coordination of a simultaneous movement and will also discuss it further in the future. ‘Through this, an outline will definitely come to the fore. ”
Saki said they placed various proposals during the talks on various issues, including protecting people’s voting rights, democracy and strengthening the election system, bringing a change in the constitutional structure of the state power and ensuring the independence of the judiciary, amending the article 70, taking steps for the appointment of all constitutional posts through a constitutional commission, establishing a local government system, balancing the power of President and Prime Minister, introducing a provincial system and revoking all undemocratic laws, including the Digital Security Act.
As part of BNP’s ongoing dialogue with political parties to forge strong unity for a greater movement for the “restoration” of democracy, a party delegation, led by its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir joined the talks around 12:15 pm at Ganosanghati Andolan’s Hatirpool central office.
Amid the speculation about the formation of a new political platform, ‘Ganatantra Mancha’, by seven parties, BNP held the talks with one of its probable components Ganosanghati Andolan.
The other BNP delegation members include its standing committee members Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuk and former MP Zahir Uddin Swapan.
Ganosanghati Andolan’s chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, its executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel, political council member Taslima Akhter, party leaders Hasan Maruf Rumi, Bachchu Bhuiyan, Deepak Roy, Shyamoli Shil and Mizanur Rahman, among others, took part in the talks.
On May 24, BNP formally began a dialogue with other opposition parties with the first meeting with Nagorik Oikya aimed at forging unity among opposition political parties.
Three days later, the party also sat with the Labour Party, one of the components of the 20-party alliance.
The BNP standing committee decided to hold talks with political parties and finalise an outline of a united movement through the discussions.
Source: United News of Bangladesh