Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday underscored the need for ensuring people鈥檚 political and voting rights to build a country free from discrimination.
鈥楶eople鈥檚 political empowerment is required to make murderous-dictatorial political evil forces irrelevant,鈥� he told a views-exchange meeting with July uprising injured photo journalists and their family members on virtual platform.
Amra BNP Paribar organised the meeting at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in Dhaka with its convener Atiqur Rahman Rumon in chair.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and BNP joint secretary general Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie also spoke.
Tarique said that BNP鈥檚 goal and objective was only one, that was to build a democratic state where the common people would live with fundamental rights.
Noting that during any dictatorial regime, people鈥檚 political rights were curtailed, he said that they had seen the real example of that for the past 15 years.
鈥楧uring this time, dictator Hasina had forcibly amassed power. She worked to secure the interests of citizens of other countries without establishing the rights of the people of Bangladesh,鈥� he said.
Highlighting the 31-point outline for reforming the state structure, the BNP acting chairman said that they, along with other political parties of the country, presented 31-point proposals to the people of the country about two and a half years ago. These 31 points were a clear plan on how they would take the country forward again.
Noting that BNP believed that the reform process was an ongoing process, Tarique underlined the need for developing democratic political culture in the country.
鈥業f we want to make the reform process effective, we need to first make arrangements to alleviate the daily misery of the people. Otherwise, the desired benefits of the reform process will not be achieved.鈥�
Tarique Rahman reiterated his call for holding quick national elections giving the responsibility of running the country to politicians. He said that election was definitely a key issue for establishing people鈥檚 rights in democratic political practice.
鈥楾herefore, if people get the opportunity to exercise their right to vote, they will be able to use their political power to expel the fugitive dictator and his accomplices from the political arena.鈥�
鈥楩or these reasons, BNP believes that it is necessary to hold free, fair and impartial elections within a reasonable time, along with reform activities,鈥� he continued.
Tarique urged the government to expedite its monitoring on medical system to ensure quality health services to people.
He mentioned the role of photojournalists in the democratic movement against the Awami League government in the past 15 years saying that they presented the sufferings and miseries of the people through photos. But at various times in the past 15 years, even if they wanted to, they were not allowed to publish many news stories.
