Dhaka: That the one-point demand was for the fall of fascism and the restoration of democracy, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said, "One of our demands has been fulfilled, and the other will be fulfilled as soon as possible, so we all discuss."
He told reporters after a meeting of the BNP's liaison committee with the Nationalist Like-Minded Alliance on Saturday (December 21) evening.
He said, "We have been continuously fighting against the ousted dictators for the past 16 years sometimes as 20 parties, sometimes through simultaneous movements. Good relations and unity have always existed between us. We are sitting today as a process of moving together."
Nazrul Islam Khan said, "We have discussed in detail the existing political, economic and social situation in the country. Since we were united in the political movement, there is not much difference between us. We express exactly the same ideology."
This member of the BNP Standing Committee said, "We believe that after a long struggle in Bangladesh, in which people have been killed, disappeared, lakhs of people have been imprisoned on false charges, tortured, subjected to various atrocities. In the final stage of this struggle, fascism has fallen through the uprising of students, workers and the masses in July-August. But our one point, the next stage of the student-mass movement, was basically the fall of fascism and the re-establishment of democracy, re-establishment of people's rule through a free, fair, impartial election. One of our demands has been fulfilled, the other is fulfilled as soon as possible, but we all talk. We discuss, we hold meetings.
In response to the question of whether that is an election, he said, of course because that is what is left. Fascism has fallen but democracy has not been re-established. That will be re-established when the people can freely, without hindrance, and peacefully exercise their voting rights and hand over the responsibility of running this state to their elected representatives." Only then will democracy be restored.
In response to the question of how long they want elections, the BNP leader said, "We have discussed that too, but we have not made any decision like this. We think that the like-minded alliance needs to have more discussions among themselves and we will discuss it in the BNP as well. Now we will sit down with another party again. We will ultimately decide together based on what emerges after discussing with everyone in this way."
In response to the question of whether elections can be held before then, Nazrul Islam Khan said, "What the chief adviser said, what his press secretary said, did it match? What is there to comment on what did not match? It would be better if we heard something clear, then I will comment."
On behalf of the like-minded alliance, NPP Chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad told reporters, "We have been agitating for 15 years to establish the democratic rights and voting rights of the people of the country. Later, at one stage, we forced the fascist Sheikh Hasina to flee. All the problems of the country will be solved if the people's elected government is established. If the people's government is not established, there will be no benefit, so elections are urgently needed to protect democracy. We want the government to announce a specific electoral road map without delay in the name of reforms.