Identify common enemies: BNP leader Dr Zahid to govt

Senior BNP leader Dr AZM Zahid Hossain today (25 December) urged the interim government to identify common enemies and purge the administration of autocrats' collaborators to counter conspiracies and fulfil public expectations.

"Don't attempt to disrupt unity. We must keep the unity intact by identifying common enemies and promptly ensuring that people can exercise their rights," he said while addressing a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club.

The programme, titled "The 31-Point of State Structure Reform: Perspective of the Textile Sector," was organised by Jatiyatabadi Textile Engineers of Bangladesh.

Dr Zahid alleged that the Awami League government had recruited thousands of its leaders and activists into law enforcement agencies and the administration and many of them still retaining their positions.

Pointing at the government, he said, "If you fail to identify and remove the accomplices of past autocratic regimes hiding within you and the administration, untoward incidents will persist, and you will not be able to contain them."

The BNP leader said country's people are unconditionally supporting and cooperating with the Dr Muhammad Yunus-led government.

"You must take timely, decisive, and appropriate decisions. Otherwise, the accomplices of autocrats lurking within the administration will try to reassert themselves and mislead you. So, you have to break their poisonous teeth."

Dr Zahid said the BNP, in collaboration with other democratic parties, outlined the 31-point reform plan to rebuild the state structure, which he claimed has been destroyed by the Awami League through misrule and repressive policies.

The BNP leader expressed disappointment over an adviser's remark that politicians have done nothing for the country in the past 53 years. "No one can deny the contributions of politicians, especially those of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, to the nation's progress," he said.

Dr Zahid said the BNP, in consultation with other democratic parties, outlined the 31-point reform plan to rebuild the state structure, which he claimed was destroyed by the Awami League through misrule and repressive policies.

The BNP leader expressed disappointment over a remark by an adviser that politicians have done nothing for the country in the past 53 years. "No one can deny the contributions of politicians, especially those of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, to the nation's progress," he said.

He also said the BNP was the first to present the Vision 2030 and the 31-point reform plan, offering an outline to overhaul the state structure when no one else thought about such reforms.