Some politicians attending a dialogue on Saturday slammed civil society organisations for helping the Awami League government, which was ousted on August 5, turn 鈥榝ascist鈥� by never challenging its autocratic rule.
鈥楥ivil society organisations, as a whole, wearing a fa莽ade of neutrality, didn鈥檛 protest at the Awami League鈥檚 atrocities wreaked upon opposition parties. They were also selective in protesting at human rights violation,鈥� Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said.
The BNP leader was critical while participating in the dialogue on civil society organisations鈥� roles in the past, present and future Bangladesh, organised by the CSO Alliance at a Dhaka hotel.
He urged civil society, non-governmental actors and politicians to reach a consensus on moral standards during the country鈥檚 reform towards becoming聽 an anti-discriminatory state.
Amar Bangladesh Party joint secretary general Asaduzzaman Fuad spoke in the same tone, while Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki warned that counter-anti-fascism force would rise if divisions still existed within the civil society.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami majlis-e-sura member Jasim Uddin Sarker called on the non-governmental organisations and civil society to participate in Bangladesh鈥檚 democratic reform.
The CSO Alliance is a platform for coordinating and representing the non-governmental sector in the discussions, engagements and negotiations with the government, donors, private sectors, media and other stakeholders in the country.
Convener of the platform, Rasheda K Choudhury, also executive director of Campaign for Popular Education, anchored the dialogue attended by NGO and private sectors representatives, academics and students.
Chief of Anti-Corruption Commission reform commission, Iftekharuzzaman, also executive director of Transparency of Bangladesh, said, 鈥楾he previous incumbent governments, including Awami League-led one, kept a tight rein on the civil society organisations. Now in the interim government鈥檚 tenure, some vested interest groups have become active against people and organisations campaigning for women rights, gender diversity, communal harmony and human rights. This is concerning.鈥�
BRAC chairperson Hossain Zillur Rahman urged for a series of dialogues between non-state actors and politicians to explore the pathway to establish a 鈥榩luralistic power structure鈥� in Bangladesh.聽
One of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement coordinators, Nazifa Jannat requested civil society organisations to help constitute a definition of 鈥榮ocial inclusion鈥� while narrowing the gaps among generations.聽聽聽聽
Syed Nasim Manzur, chairman of Landmark Footwear, said that civil society dialogues must include the private sector in shaping the new Bangladesh, while technology entrepreneur AKM Fahim Mashroor urged civil society to act as a bridge between political parties.
Spokesperson of the interim government, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the adviser for the environment, forest and climate change, and water resources ministries, said, 鈥楾he nation鈥檚 journey to an 鈥渋nclusive鈥� society would not be smooth as many vested interest groups inheriting fascism are still active. The interim government is requesting all citizens to keep trust upon it at least for a considerable period.鈥�
Social welfare, women and children affairs adviser Sharmin Murshid, Manuser Jonno Foundation executive director Shaheen Anam, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad general secretary Maleka Banu and Action Aid Bangladesh country director Farah Kabir, among others, also spoke.