AL, JaPa should participate in national polls for a free and fair vote: Fakhrul tells Ei Samay

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the Awami League and Jatiyo Party should take part in the upcoming national election for a free and fair vote.

Speaking to Indian newspaper Ei Samay, Fakhrul said, "Let there be a fair and free election. For saying this, many people are insulting me—calling me an agent of India, a stooge of the Awami League. But why should we repeat Sheikh Hasina's misdeeds? Hasina did not even allow her opponents to contest elections for 15 years, and she has faced consequences for that. If we do the same, we too will face repercussions. However, people have witnessed so much bloodshed, so many lives lost—that has created deep resentment against the Awami League."

The interview with Ei Samay is as follows-

Question: Will the national elections in Bangladesh really be held in February next year? Since Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP keep raising new demands one after another—and are saying elections won't be allowed unless those are met—many people are doubtful. Even if the election happens, will the country see intense unrest and bloodshed?

Answer: The vote will be held in February next year. There is no room for doubt. There will be no unrest. People want their voting rights back, they want elections. February's vote will be like a festival.

Question: Jamaat says the election won't happen without the PR (proportional representation) system, while the NCP is demanding the existing constitution be scrapped and a Constituent Assembly election be held first. Otherwise, they say, the vote won't be allowed...

Answer: Jamaat will join the vote. PR doesn't matter—the election in Bangladesh will be held under the system that people are familiar with. You'll see Jamaat will also participate. As for the NCP, we don't even consider them a force anymore. It's true that these students were the spark that ignited the uprising against Sheikh Hasina. But now they have nothing. Even if they call, people don't come.

Question: It is said that the NCP had asked you for seats?

Answer: No. The NCP never asked. But Jamaat did. The NCP's only goal now is to prevent the BNP from forming a government.

Question: Jamaat asked for 50 seats?

Answer: They asked for 30. We showed no enthusiasm. We mentioned a much smaller number, which they didn't like. But I assure you, we will not allow Jamaat to climb on our shoulders anymore. They are not that big a force, we gave them more importance than they deserved. All this PR–TR talk is just a tactic to pressure BNP. But Jamaat is preparing for the election, announcing candidate names in different areas. In truth, people across the country strongly want elections. The army wants it, and interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus also wants it.

Question: Are you placing your trust in Yunus regarding the election? Not long ago, your party accused him of being biased towards the NCP. Some even said he didn't want elections to be held.

Answer: The situation has changed. On behalf of the party, I've spoken with him. I now see that he is completely serious. He sincerely wants the election to be held in February. On 5 August, Yunus announced the election date. The night before, I had a long discussion at his residence with him and Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman about the election.

The army chief said that, because the police force is small, the army has been doing street duty for a year, which is not desirable. He originally suggested December, but has no objection to February. He promised full cooperation and said he wants the election completed so the army can finally return to the barracks. Yunus also said that in February he wants to hand over power to an elected government and step aside. He admitted he cannot bear the pressure anymore. We assured him that reforms will continue even after the new government is formed, and trials of autocrats will go on. These are three separate matters. The interim government has no mandate for reforms, nor do their reforms carry any real weight. They said nothing new, everything is already included in BNP's 31-point programme.

Question: The day after the National Party's office was vandalised, Yunus called the BNP, Jamaat, and NCP leadership to his residence. Why? Did he give you any special message?

Answer: You're right. That day Yunus gave us a very clear message. A short, one-line message—you could call it a kind of final bell. Yunus told us that if we fail to catch the February election train, he will no longer stay from March. He warned us not to let the situation arise where the election itself could not be held.

Question: Will the Awami League be allowed to take part in the upcoming vote? Along with its allies like Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) or Workers Party?

Answer: We have said that the Awami League and all its allies, even the Jatiya Party, should take part in the election. Let there be a fair and free vote. For saying this, many have abused me—calling me India's agent, a stooge of the Awami League. But why should we repeat Sheikh Hasina's misdeeds? She didn't allow her opponents to contest elections for 15 years, and she has paid the price for that. If we do the same, we too will face consequences. But people have seen so much blood, so much loss of life—that has created deep resentment against the Awami League.

Question: Yunus says the election and government formation in February will happen without Indian influence. Is it true that India no longer has any influence left in Bangladesh?

Answer: India was an ally in the Liberation War. At that time, it gave shelter to 10 million people. Geographically too, Bangladesh has India on three sides and the sea on one. So India's influence in Bangladesh will inevitably remain. The problem is, India's rulers equated Bangladesh solely with the Awami League.

They accepted the Awami League's narrative and lumped BNP and Jamaat together. But BNP and Jamaat's politics are not the same. We are a secular, centrist, democratic party. We are still fighting against the anti-liberation forces to preserve the constitution achieved through the Liberation War. The leftists are with us.

Question: For 25 years Jamaat has been your ally. That's why both names are always mentioned together.

Answer: Wrong. The Awami League sold this propaganda to India. Jamaat has been only an electoral ally. They do religion centric politics, we don't. In truth, India made the mistake of seeing Bangladesh only through the Awami League's lens.

They never kept contact with the rest of us. Today, the mountain of anger against the Awami League has turned into fierce anti-India sentiment. But on behalf of BNP, I assure you, we will not let Jamaat take advantage anymore. We want India to engage with everyone. We will go to Kolkata again, buy books from College Street. We'll get the chance to enjoy cinema and theatre again. There will be free people-to-people contact. Visa procedures will become smoother. Indians will be welcome in Bangladesh too. Let misunderstandings end.