Few people hired from abroad cannot run the country: Fakhrul

The country cannot be run by hiring a few individuals from abroad, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today (26 July). 

"We all need to understand this simple fact," he said while addressing a discussion, titled "July Revolution: Expectations and Achievements", organised by Zia Parishad at the National Press Club.

Fakhrul criticised the current state of politics, saying, "The country is now in a complete mess. Some political parties are talking about proportional representation in elections through PR systems, which has nothing to do with the people of Bangladesh.

"Ordinary people don't even understand what proportional representation is. Ask them, and they won't be able to answer. People only know that their party will nominate a candidate, and they will vote for that person."

He said the nation is going through a critical time. "We are waiting for a democratic transition that will ensure political and economic welfare for the people."

The senior BNP leader accused the Awami League of causing irreparable damage to the country. "They have destroyed the judiciary, law, and health sector, among other institutions. For the past 15 years, they have brutally repressed democracy-loving political parties and dismantled their structures."

Referring to reforms, he said, "Begum Khaleda Zia announced Vision 2030 in 2016 to repair the state. Now, when television talk shows discuss reforms, we see that our leader Tarique Rahman had already presented a 31-point reform plan in 2022, which can bring about radical political and economic change."

"Reform does not happen overnight. It is a process. You can't expect that from tomorrow the police will stop taking bribes. That's unrealistic. But we must create a system where police do not need to take bribes. Bureaucracy remains a major obstacle to our development," he added.

Fakhrul emphasised the need for elected representatives to govern the country. "To have representatives, elections are essential. Whenever we demand elections, they say BNP only wants polls. Why do we want elections?

"Because without them, how will we get our representatives? How will we go to parliament? And without parliament, how will people's governance be established?"

"Above all, what we need most is integrity. Without honesty, BNP cannot stand before the people," he stressed.

Referring to recent controversies involving BNP leaders, Fakhrul said, "The news we see in newspapers nowadays does not reflect BNP or Ziaur Rahman's ideals. Those who follow Ziaur Rahman must be honest first."