Amir Khosru for impartial interim govt for national election

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, member of BNP Standing Committee.

Dhaka, Jan 26 - BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the interim government should proceed with the national election in a manner that leaves no room for doubts about its impartiality.

“This interim government should move towards the next election impartially, and no question should arise in anyone's mind about its impartiality. If any question arises, it will be a betrayal of those who shed blood, gave their lives and made immense sacrifices during the 15-year movement,” he said at a discussion on Sunday.

National People’s Party (NPP) organised the programme titled “The role of martyred President Ziaur Rahman in establishing a democracy and an independent and sovereign state” at the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday.

Khosru, a BNP standing committee member, said they all supported the current government as there was a need for a neutral administration until an election is held following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime.

“We didn’t take part in this government. BNP and other political parties have all decided together that no political party should play a role in this government, as its character is neutral,” he said.

The BNP leader said political parties must come to power with a mandate from the people through a credible and neutral election.

He said the interim government must restore people’s ownership of the country, their voting rights and bring back democratic order through a neutral election.

Khosru said people's will would be reflected in the future of Bangladesh through the restoration of democratic order and an elected government accountable to people.

“The democratic process is a way of correction and filtration. The mistakes of the past will be corrected and filtered through this process. There is no other way but this,” he said.

The BNP leader warned that if any party or quarter attempts to choose a different path, excluding the people, the people of Bangladesh will not accept it, and BNP will not accept it either.

“If anyone tries to do that, they will make a mistake. Those who attempted it in the past could not survive because the people rejected them,” he said.

The BNP leader said their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia proposed reform proposals, including limiting the tenure of any individual as Prime Minister to two terms, introducing a bicameral parliament, and ensuring a balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister, through placing Vision-2030 six years ago.

He said BNP, in consultation with other parties that waged a simultaneous movement, also presented a 31-point proposal for reforms.

Khosru said the 31-point proposal will be implemented by forming a national government if BNP wins the next national election.

He said the reform proposals must be passed in parliament by winning the election with the mandate of the people. “If any party or quarter thinks they have any reform proposal, they need to go to the people to obtain their mandate.”

The BNP leader said there is no scope for some wise people to decide what the future of Bangladesh will be, as only the people can do it. “There’s no scope for anyone to be wiser than the people, who are the owners of Bangladesh.”

He, however, said it should not take more than one month to complete the reform proposals on which there is national consensus. “On issues where there is no consensus, we have to go to the people to get their mandate, no matter whether it is the proposal of the BNP or anyone else. No one has the right to reform without the mandate of the people,” the BNP leader said.

Khosru, a former commerce minister, said the current government should formulate an interim budget. “It’s a wrong step to implement the budget placed by the fascist and corrupt regime. Rather, the government can cut much expenditure by suspending that budget as it’s more important to alleviate public suffering than that budget.”

He said a democratic government is now crucial in Bangladesh, one that will be elected by the people and remain accountable to them, upholding the democratic process. “That’s why the government should move towards an election as early as possible to restore the people’s ownership of the country.” - UNB