United News of Bangladesh

Stating that the national election can be held between August and October, BNP senior leader Amir Khosru  Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday alleged that the government is focusing on everything except their main task of arranging the national election.  “Why aren't they (govt) doing the work they need to do? They need to immediately declare an election roadmap, give themselves time for that, and focus entirely on the election,” he said. Talking to reporters at a city hotel, the BNP leader also said the government is doing everything except working on the election. “Who has given them the responsibility to do everything? That is the question.” He said it may take a week, a day, or even a few hours for the government to announce reforms on which the political parties have reached consensus. Khosru, a BNP Standing Committee member, said the government can resolve the reform issue based on the agreement among the political parties and then immediately declare the election roadmap. “So, there is no reason to wait until December for the election. The election could be held within the next three to four months, or from August to October,” he observed. BNP seeks quick restoration of democracy through credible election: Moyeen Khan The BNP leader said the responsibility of the interim government is to hold a fair election, hand over power to the elected government, and restore democratic order and the people’s ownership of the country. Instead of holding the election, he said, the interim government is rushing in other directions and taking major political decisions such as providing a human corridor and handing over the management of Chattogram port to foreigners, pushing the country towards danger. “It is not their responsibility to decide on these matters. It will be decided by the elected government in consultation with political forces. These arranged political decisions, but why are they making these decisions and wasting time? What do they want to demonstrate? Khosru said. He said the country’s people did not give the interim government any mandate to take major and political decisions. The BNP leader said the government must make visible signs of arranging the national election. Khosru said the people of Bangladesh had made huge sacrifices for the election, the restoration of democracy, and their ownership of the country. “It can’t go in vain in any way.” The BNP leader said the government had held an investment summit and was undertaking many other activities beyond its duties. “It is a transitional government in an interim situation. This is a stop-gap government whose main responsibility is to organise an election and peacefully hand over power to an elected government… There is no scope to delay the polls.” He also expressed dissatisfaction over the non-implementation of a court order regarding the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation. “When court orders are not followed, isn’t the rule of law breached?” Khosru said different people are constantly taking on various responsibilities despite having no connection with people. “They are imported, and they will not understand the problems of the people. Who are they? Who has given them the responsibility to determine in which direction Bangladesh will head in the future? The people of Bangladesh will make this decision through a democratic process.” He also said that reform must be carried out through a democratic process instead of implementing any particular quarter’s agenda. “The reform will be done as per the people’s wishes and, based on that the future of Bangladesh will be shaped.” The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh want to regain their ownership of the country through an elected government and parliament. Bangladesh is now in an uncertain situation, and no one knows in which direction it is moving forward. He said the people of Bangladesh ousted a fascist and autocratic regime to restore a democratic system. “There’s still no visible sign that the country is moving towards a democratic order.” “There is a fear among everyone as to whether Bangladesh will go through a democratic process at all—whether the people of the country will regain their ownership of the country, whether they will get their elected parliament and government,” the BNP leader said. He said all the discussions and activities are taking place as if an elected government is running the country. “But there are no efforts towards the election. We cannot see any indication of Bangladesh heading towards a democratic process.” Khosru said the more the election is delayed, the more the country is being pushed towards uncertainty and danger, leaving the people of the country and its foreign friends in indecision. He said all future elections must be held through a fair democratic process. “This should become a routine.”  

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday said Japan, like many other countries, expects the restoration of democratic order in Bangladesh, as it has significant plans to invest here in the future. “They (Japan) have huge investment in Bangladesh and they have a lot of plans for more investment here in the coming days,” he said while briefing reporters after Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi’s meeting with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The hour-long meeting, which began at 3:30pm, was held at the party chairperson's Gulshan office. BNP Standing Committee member and Chairperson's Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Organising Secretary Shama Obaed also attended the meeting. Khosru said they discussed how Japan can continue its trend of investment in Bangladesh like in the past. He said BNP always welcomes Japanese investment because the quality of their investment is very good, the cost is low, and the terms of trade are always favourable for Bangladesh. “Our discussion topics were Madam's (BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s) health, her return to the country, investment and trade between the two countries, and the next election,” the BNP leader said. He said Bangladesh-Japan bilateral relations are very significant. “Japan has always been our biggest development partner. So naturally, they expect the environment to continue to work with the new government coming to Bangladesh in the future.” Khaleda to reach Dhaka at 10:30am Tuesday Just as everyone is waiting for the elections, Khosru said Japan also wants to know when the elections will be held in Bangladesh. “Naturally, everyone's investment and many other decisions depend on the election. Everyone is waiting for the election and an elected government in Bangladesh. It is the same with Japan. So, everyone hopes that a democratic order will return to Bangladesh,” he observed. Khosru said all the previous BNP governments have had good experience working with Japan and they successfully implemented many projects. “We will definitely use that good experience in the future as well.” In the discussion, he said the Japanese envoy highlighted Khaleda Zia’s long contribution to politics, her love for the people, and her return to the country with love of the people. “They are also observing the Madam's return to the country with great interest and, like the people of Bangladesh, they also feel that her return to the country is good for the nation,” he said. 

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru on Sunday urged the interim government to promptly unveil an election roadmap to reassure people that the country is moving towards elections and the restoration of democracy. “The suspicions and questions that have arisen among people due to the absence of a specific election roadmap will not bode well for the future of democracy and the electoral process,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting with the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan. Khosru, a BNP Standing Committee member, said the people of the country are uncertain about when they will regain democratic governance and their rightful ownership of the nation through an election. “So, an election roadmap must be presented without delay to assure the public that the nation is on the path to restoring democracy. Election is the main vehicle of democracy,” he observed. As part of BNP’s liaison committee’s ongoing discussions with like-minded political parties on the next election, Khosru, along with BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu, held a meeting with a 10-member BJP delegation led by its Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha. Khosru said the government should move towards the election after formulating a national charter based on the reform proposals on which political parties have reached a consensus. “In Bangladesh, we are not going to establish Baksal. It’s a Baksal-like notion that everyone must agree on everything…different parties will have different philosophies, different thoughts and there will naturally be differences of opinion,” he said. BNP leader Khasru, 4 others acquitted in case under Special  Powers Act   The BNP leader also said there is no scope for reforms beyond the points of consensus among political parties. “To do anything outside of that consensus, one must come through the democratic process, the electoral process and with people’s mandate.” He said questions remain as to why the issues on which consensus has already been reached are not being presented before the nation. Khosru mentioned that all political parties have already submitted their reform proposals, and a considerable amount of time has passed since then, with discussions now concluded. He believes it should not take more than a week to identify where consensus has been reached among the political parties. “Inform the nation where the consensus has been reached, and based on that consensus, we can sign the charter and move forward with the elections. There is no scope for going beyond this,” the BNP leader said. “You have to tell the nation that you will proceed with a democratic transition. Preparations are necessary for the election both inside and outside the country,” Khosru said. He also said those who attended the recent investment summit raised a common question — when the election will be held. BJP Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha said their position is clear that a national charter should be drawn up based on the reforms on which there is consensus, and the country should proceed towards elections accordingly. Chhatra Dal promotes cleanliness at DU He said while fifty political parties may have differing opinions on various matters, the election cannot be delayed, nor can a murky environment be created, simply because of the expectation of complete unanimity. In response to a question, Partha said it is possible to hold the election before December. “I think the people now demand an electoral roadmap without further delay. I believe this government should now focus on that,” he said. This was the first meeting between BNP and BJP in six years, as Partha had left the BNP alliance after the 2018 election, opposing the party’s decision to join parliament. The BNP began discussions with its alliance partners on 17 April to work out its next course of action.