Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday said the notion that all parties must unanimously agree to every reform proposal reflects a ‘Bakshali’ (dictatorial) mindset, one that was introduced by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
‘Different parties will naturally have diverse philosophies and perspectives, and differences of opinion are to be expected,’ he told reporters following a meeting with the Bangladesh Jatiya Party at the BNP chairperson’s office at Gulshan in the capital Dhaka.
Khasru said there is no scope for reforms beyond those areas where consensus has been reached.
Any further changes must come through the democratic process, through elections, and with the clear mandate of the people, he said.
Demanding a concrete election road map from the interim government, Khasru said that doubts are growing among the people due to the absence of a clear plan and questions are being raised across the country.
This uncertainty would not bring anything good for the election process or the future of democracy, he remarked.
Khasru said a clear road map must be announced as soon as possible to assure the nation that the country is moving towards a democratic restoration.
BJP chair Andalib Rahman Partho said elections should not be delayed under the pretext of reforms, and a responsible government can never push the country into uncertainty by stating that elections would be held between December and June.
‘A concrete electoral road map must be in place. There should be no delay in reforms to prevent the public from asking when, or even if, elections will take place,’ he said.
‘If we do not agree to reforms that would benefit the people, the public will reject us. But that does not mean we should keep delaying every detail of the reforms, creating endless uncertainty about when reforms will happen,’ Partho said.
He said such uncertainty causes political instability, economic problems and a lack of confidence among investors.
‘Big industries and factories are hesitant to invest, believing that changes will happen after the elections,’ Partho said.
He said that 50 political parties might have many different opinions on various issues, but based on that, the government cannot delay the election or create a confusing environment.
BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, vice-chair Barkat Ullah Bulu, BJP secretary-general Abdul Matin Saud, presidium members Kazi Mustafa Tamjid, Washiqur Rahman, Salauddin Matin Prakash, Sohel Asif, ABM Azizul Haque, Golam Rabbani, and vice-chairs Asadur Rahman and Faisal Taher also attended the meeting.