Dhaka: BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today reiterated his demand for holding the next general election by December next. Tarique Rahman was virtually addressing a discussion marking the 18th founding anniversary of the National People's Party at the Institution of Diploma Engineers.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Tarique Rahman expressed his hope to see free and fair national elections under the interim government. He emphasized that the goal of every pro-democracy political party in Bangladesh should be to prevent the return of any form of dictatorship. He argued that political empowerment of the people is essential to stop dictatorship in the country, stressing that if the parliament and government are formed with representatives of the people, they would be accountable to the populace.
Tarique Rahman also called for necessary reforms to prevent fascism and improve the quality of the state, government, and politics. He stated that reforms are a continuous process and that practical reforms are much more important than textbook reforms. He urged for constructive criticism of the government, whether it is elected or unelected, interim or caretaker, asserting that the government must accept the logical demands of the people.
He lamented that all local and foreign investment has come to a standstill due to the absence of democracy, impacting people of every class and profession amid the restive and uncertain political and economic situation. Due to the ongoing unrest, he noted, people from various classes and professions are taking to the streets to voice their demands, but, unfortunately, there is no one to listen to them.
Tarique Rahman criticized the interim government for creating a deadlock in the revenue sector by imposing NBR reforms just ahead of the budget for the next fiscal year. He warned that this sends a negative message for the economy, emphasizing that an accountable democratic government is crucial in handling such situations effectively. He concluded by reiterating that reform is an ongoing process, but practical reform holds more significance than textbook reform.