Politicians and rights activists on Saturday said that ongoing political crisis in the country must be solved by political leadership and the interim government should engage politicians in the process of the nation rebuilding.
They came up with the suggestions at a dialogue organised by the Centre for Governance Studies at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies auditorium in the capital.
The dialogue featured guests who had been vocal about the oppression of the past regime and faced challenges for their actions.
Prominent individuals from different professions shared the many ways they suffered and were discriminated against under the previous regime.
The speakers also gave emphasis on the changes and reforms they would like to see in future Bangladesh, expressing general concern about the apparent inaction displayed by the government regarding recent societal unrest.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, expressed her gratitude towards many people who had joined the mass uprising.
She acknowledged that others had suffered more than she had.
鈥楢 fascist regime doesn鈥檛 become fascist in isolation; it corrupts the justice system, media, civil society, and other institutions. Even if the laws are changed, those who implement them often still support the regime,鈥� she said.
She emphasised that freedom, especially the freedom to access timely justice, should not be taken for granted.
Susasoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar emphasised that citizens must seize the opportunity that came before them.
He highlighted the importance of everyone playing their part, or else the dream, spirit, and expectations would remain incomplete.
He shared that he and his family had been discriminated against under both the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party governments.
Despite this, he believed that today presented an amazing opportunity and stressed the importance of unity, and checks and balances to prevent the misuse of power.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party chairman Andaleeve Rahman stressed the need for good people in politics.
He warned that corrupt individuals in politics ruin all the systems.
He called for reforms that would allow good people to enter politics, noting that politicians were no longer seen as heroes.
While he was optimistic about the mass media, he believed that the current government鈥檚 connection with the people was weak, and they needed to implement the reforms as the public demanded.
Ganosanghati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki discussed how the quota movement evolved into a single-point demand, which was a reflection of the over a decade of struggle.
He emphasised that the political forces involved in the uprising needed to be taken into account in the current process.
Saying that fascist forces were still active, Zonayed Saki shared that during a July 19 rally protesting at the death of students, the police force was used against them in unprecedented ways.
He himself was injured in a baton charge, and yet after that he was beaten on the street by members of the Chhatra League, student body of Awami League.
Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur shared that for a long time the television channels had blacklisted him, alongside others, including Dhaka University professor Asif Nazrul and 抖阴精品 editor Nurul Kabir.
State agencies had warned him that they would be monitoring his movements and also threatened him with attacks if he went anywhere without their consent, which they did, he said.
He spoke of the oppression and suppression suffered by people under multiple governments and expressed hope for genuine reforms under the current interim government.
He, however, criticised the government for operating in an exclusive manner, failing to consult with political parties, the main stakeholders in running the nation.
He also suggested that the interim government should shape itself into a national government involving politicians from all parties.
Senior journalist Masood Kamal humbly acknowledged that he had simply continued doing the journalism he had always known.
He remarked that he had never believed the media would be as free as it was now and expressed hope that the government would listen to constructive criticism.
United People鈥檚 Democratic Front organiser Michael Chakma recounted being held in darkness for five years after his abduction.
He talked about the inhumanity in his treatment and asked whether his crime was to speak out for the political rights of his people.
He called for a solution in the Chittagong Hill Tracts ending military intervention.
Student Movement Against Discrimination coordinator Umama Fatema credited the people of Bangladesh for toppling the Sheikh Hasina regime and spoke about the sense of empowerment and ownership that female students had experienced during the protests.
However, she expressed concern that the role of women in the movement was being marginalised and that the current government remained dysfunctional.
Moderated by Centre for Governance Studies executive director Zillur Rahman, Fair Election Monitoring Alliance president Munira Khan, the Asia Foundation Bangladesh country representative Kazi Faisal Bin Seraj, political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman, DSA Victims Network member Didarul Islam Bhuiyan, Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity executive director Kalpana Akter, Jagannath University student Khadijatul Kubra, Jatiya Nagorik Committee member Pritom Das, journalists Muktadir Rashid, Rezaul Karim Rony and Qadaruddin Shishir and Student Movement Against Discrimination鈥檚 national liaison committee member Mamun Abdullahi spoke at the programme, among others.