Govt faction conspiring against pro-democratic forces: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that a section of the interim government is actively working against pro-democratic forces.

"A faction within the government is deliberately working to block pro-democratic forces from emerging," he said while speaking at a discussion at the National Press Club today (27 August).

The BNP leader also alleged that some political parties and groups are deliberately raising new and unfamiliar demands in a very calculated way to disrupt and derail the election process.

He said the BNP realised early that true democracy cannot be established within the existing state structure. That's why the party has extended full cooperation to both the reform commission and the interim government. 

"We have never created obstacles. Not once have we taken to the streets with major demands to embarrass or pressure the government," he said.

"The word 'reform' itself is something common people aren't familiar with. They don't understand proportional or PR (Proportional Representation) systems in elections. It will take time to grasp, but even then, it's very difficult," Fakhrul said. 

He also observed that the 2024 student-public mass uprising was expected to bring about a shift in people's mindset, but unfortunately, that change never truly came.

"What's even more unfortunate is that political leaders themselves have become entangled in this failure, making the situation even worse. To save the country, it is essential for everyone to step forward and take responsibility," he said.

'Corruption everywhere'

The BNP leader added, "I have never been so disheartened in my political career. I've always tried to inspire and give hope to others. But lately, I can't help but notice a shadow of despair creeping in. Everywhere I look, it seems most people in the country have been corrupted. Corruption is everywhere – you can't go to any office or court without facing it. As I've said before, where a bribe once cost one lakh, now it takes five."

He added that through the uprising, the people of Bangladesh broke free from fascism. Meanwhile, a date for elections has already been announced as a step toward democracy.

"Those of us who led the movement together also jointly proposed a 31-point reform agenda – and all of those points have been included in the current framework. So, from the very beginning, we have stood in support of reform," Fakhrul said.

"A few days after the mass uprising, we had called for elections to be held within three months. At that time, everyone criticised us, saying, 'You just want to come to power.' But we've seen that whenever a political change takes place, others often take advantage of that moment. The longer the election is delayed, the farther the opportunity for real change slips away," he said.

Referring to the 1/11 army-backed regime, the BNP leader said, "Instead of holding elections, they stayed in power for two years – and then handed over power to a fascist. As a result, the entire nation had to suffer the consequences for 15 to 16 years."