Call to strengthen pressure to restoring free fair elections

Speakers at a discussion meeting organised by the Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Dal at the Swadhinata Hall in the capital on Friday October 6, 2023.

Speakers at a discussion meeting on Friday said that the opposition led by the BNP has no option but to strengthen movement to make the government accept the call for elections under a neutral government.

They said that the present government in the last 15 years of reign destroyed the electoral system and in turn the institution of democracy in the country. The organs of the government do not function as separate entities but under diktat, they said. 

They deplored that the people were deprived of the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. Oligarchs were created in all sectors to praise the government for anything and shield the government from people’s scrutiny and criticism, they said.   

Prof.Anwarullah Chowdhury, former  vice-chancellor of Dhaka University was the chief guest at the meeting organized by the Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Dal. Prof. Sukomal Barua of Dhaka University presided over the meeting where Prof. Abdul Latif Masum, former VC of Patuakhali University presented a paper. BNP vice chairman Ahmed Azam Khan was the main discussant while Abdus Salam, convener, Dhaka South City unit of BNP and eminent journalist Mostafa Kamal Majumder were special guests. Sangskritik Dal president Humayun Kabir Bepari conducted the programme.

Prof. Anwarullah Chowdhury said that there were fascist tendencies in governance as the state apparatus was not functioning in accordance with the law. Even in universities dissenting opinions were not being tolerated. VCs of universities appointed by the government do not seek election from Senates as per the law. Best students are not recruited as teachers who are chosen in keeping with political affiliations. The standard of education has gone down.

Prof. Chowdhury said political mobilization of the BNP and its allies indicate that the ruling party will suffer a humiliating defeat as it did in 1991 when democracy was restored in the country if free and fair elections are held. 

Prof. Abdul Latif Masum analysed the political problem facing the country from several perspectives and said if the government does not listen to the call for restoring the system of free and fair election under a neutral government, the opposition has no option but to intensify movement.

Ahmed Azam Khan said the ruling party destroyed democracy and the electoral process whenever I came to power. On the other hand the BNP not only restored multi-party democracy but also upheld the fundamental rights of the people. He said BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has rejected the offer to go abroad in exchange of participation in election under the present government. This is a great sacrifice of the BNP chief who has all along been uncompromising on principles.

Abdus Salam said democracy, people’s rights and Awami League never go together. The ruling party has proved this again and again. The people should decide how they would deal with the party that has played with the rights of the people time and again.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder said the shift from consensus to partisan decisions on constitutional matters has created the present stand-off in the political process of Bangladesh. Due to divergence of opinions instead of unity on how the state should run, the nation has considerably weakened in recent times. The spirit of consensus gloriously demonstrated in 1991 should be back for an inclusive march to progress and prosperity, he said. – GreenWatch News Desk