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Fair election key to democracy: Khasru
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury today said after the July uprising, the only way to establish democracy in Bangladesh is holding a fair election.
"The statement from various political parties that elections will not be acceptable if demands are not met - is undemocratic. The only way to establish democracy in the country is a fair election," he said as the chief guest at a discussion at the National Press Club here, reports BSS.
The veteran BNP leader said, "A change in political culture is urgent. Any alternative to democracy could cause terrible harm to the nation. Matters on which there is consensus in the reform process must be implemented. If there are disagreements, they should be left to the elected government."
"Elections will be held in February - there is no scope to go beyond that. Those who don't want to come to the election are speaking in the same language of the dictator Sheikh Hasina. Even though Sheikh Hasina is no longer in power, a dictatorial mentality remains in the country, which is a major obstacle to a democratic culture," he added.
Claiming there's no room for division in a democracy, Amir Khasru said, "The right to express one's opinion is democracy. To build a new Bangladesh, political culture must become more tolerant and mentalities must change."
He mentioned that a democratic system must also be introduced in the economic sector, saying, "It's not enough to make politics democratic; the economy must also be democratic. Every citizen of Bangladesh must be a partner in economic and development activities. The economy cannot be run under the patronage of a single group."
"The economy must be for everyone. There must be work opportunities for everyone - women, men, rural communities, educated youth, and retired citizens. This will increase income, improve the standard of living, and citizens will become good citizens and pay taxes. Then they can demand the proper use of their taxes," he added.
Mentioning that the credit for the July uprising doesn't belong to any one person, he said, "The July uprising was not of a single party but the result of the unified effort of the entire people of Bangladesh."