Tarique warns of 'evil forces' trying to foil polls

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today (31 August) said the "unholy efforts of evil forces" to create a ground for thwarting the next parliamentary elections are gradually becoming visible.

"Almost a year ago, I said invisible forces were working, centring the upcoming election. Now people have started noticing that the evil efforts of the ill forces are slowly becoming visible in recent times in preparing the ground to destroy the opportunity for people to establish their rights in Bangladesh through elections," he said while addressing a discussion virtually.

The discussion, titled 'Purpose and Significance of the BNP's Establishment', was held at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Dhaka, marking the 47th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

While the interim government is walking on the path of upholding people's rights in a deposed, defeated and fugitive autocratic-free Bangladesh, some political parties are imposing conditions in the name of election to serve their partisan interests, Tarique said.

"By doing so, they may be attempting to create obstacles in the electoral path in a planned way," he added.

He said BNP from the very beginning has been pressing the demand for holding an election at the quickest possible time, as the party believes that people need political power first.

"If an elected government formed through direct voting fails to fulfil public expectations, people will get a chance to change that government through the next election, something that is practiced in democracies worldwide," he added.

The BNP acting chairman urged the democratic political parties to refrain from blocking the electoral process with conditions saying that no reform initiatives would be sustainable by creating obstacles to the practice and application of the people's rights.

"Establishing people's rights through effective democratic political practice is much more urgent than textbook reforms," he said.

He said BNP fully agrees on the matter of reforms in the state and politics. Since reforms are important, his party announced a 31-point reform agenda and actively supported and cooperated with reform initiatives taken by the interim government.

But he cautioned that no reform will be sustainable if obstacles are created in the exercise of people's rights.

"I would like to call on my fellow fighters on the streets, every democratic political party, that reforms are definitely needed, but no reform can be sustainable by creating obstacles in the way of the exercise and application of people's rights," he added.

Though the interim government came based on public desires, Tarique said, he does not think that there is any logical reason to expect this government to perform like an efficient and accountable political government.

The longer the interim government stays in power, the more its weaknesses will become visible, giving anti-uprising evil forces scope to create confusion, he warned.

Pointing to recent incidents, including the attack on Gonoparishad President Nurul Haque Nur, Tarique said the country's stability is either becoming complicated or being made complicated.

The BNP leader questioned if the slogan like "elections will not be allowed to be held" weaken the unity of anti-fascist forces, or will they create relevance for the resurgence of fascist evil forces. "The defeated evil-forces are waiting for scope," he added.

He urged the political parties to refrain from the politics of blocking BNP's victory and instead join efforts to form an accountable government through elections in Bangladesh and then explore the ways to solve rational demands of the political parties.

"It is time to walk on the path of election by relaxing conditions for establishing people's rights in the state and politics, so that we can institutionalise democracy in the state and society through application of people's voting rights and democratic rights," he said.

"As a political activist, I believe that democratic political parties will find it easier to implement democratic demands over time," Tarique added.

Pointing at the BNP supporters, he said BNP thinks that politics is not merely about promises but about improving people's lives and building a safe Bangladesh for future generations.

He said BNP has already presented concrete outlines of its plans for future Bangladesh through various programmes and speeches, and the party is finalising detailed strategies on implementation.

The BNP acting chairman asked his party activists to maintain close ties with people from all walks of life, including women, youths, teachers and students, and raise the party's reform agenda before them.

Criticising mob violence, he said, "No one of us will tolerate mob violence. Every soldier of Shaheed Zia and Leader Khaleda Zia will be sensitive and respectful towards the dignity and rights of women."

"We must be alert. Ahead of the national election, various conspiracies are spreading their wings. But if we have ties with the people, no conspiracy can stop BNP's march forward, InshaAllah," he added.

On the party's founding anniversary, Tarique urged BNP leaders and activists to renew their pledge to democracy, justice, the rule of law and people's rights. "Just as BNP never deviated from this path of establishing the people's rights in the past, InshaAllah, we will not deviate in the future either," he said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, its standing committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the discussion conducted by BNP Publicity Affairs Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Ahmed Tuku.