If we turn unity into a BAKSAL again while trying to achieve unity, that unity will not work, said BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moin Khan. That is why he has asked everyone to be careful.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the memorial service of Atiqur Rahman Salu, the leader of the river and water rights movement in Bangladesh and leader of the International Farakka Committee, at the National Press Club on Thursday (December 5). The memorial service was organized by the International Farakka Committee (IFC).
This BNP Standing Committee member said about the meeting of the interim government with political parties to form national unity, unity is definitely necessary regardless of race, religion, caste. No one can have any disagreement with this. But I would like to warn you about this question, there is a saying in English, Unity in Diversity. If we turn unity into a BAKSAL again while trying to achieve unity, that unity will not work. We have to be careful. Democracy is easy to say in words but not so easy to put into practice.
Moin Khan said, the psychological position of the people of Bangladesh, the appeal for freedom, the desire, the desire to speak, the effort to vote. I am not talking about businessmen or political leaders; I am talking about those in the market, in the fields, rickshaw pullers, garment workers. Their desire is not money, wealth, luxury or power. Their desire is expected, I will vote once in 5 years.
He said, you talk about the new generation, where is the new generation? Has anyone from our new generation been able to vote in the last 15-20 years or two decades? No. He further said, I talked about the grassroots people of Bangladesh a little earlier. Present two things in front of them, money and power in one hand, and freedom in the other. However, if you get only one condition, then you will be surprised to see that the grassroots people who cannot eat, who struggle a lot for food, will say, I do not want money, I want the right to vote. This is the truth of the people of Bangladesh.
The sad thing is that we do not believe in that truth and want money, wealth, glory, power, position, minister, prime minister, president, said Dr. Abdul Moin Khan.
Addressing the interim government, this senior BNP leader said, "Today, you are talking about reforms, which is very good, reforms are needed. Don't worry, I am telling you in clear terms, no reforms will be useful until we reform ourselves."
Other speakers at the memorial service included Jatiya Party (Jafar) Chairman Mustafa Jamal Haider, Biplobi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, IFC President Professor Jasim Uddin Ahmed, IFC Chairman Syed Tipu Sultan, IFC Coordinator Mustafa Kamal Majumder, IFC Bangladesh Vice President Dr. Nazma Ahmed, former MP Zahiruddin Swapan, Bhashani Anusari Parishad Convener Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu, FK Md. Emdad Khan, BFUJ Secretary General Quader Gani Chowdhury, National Press Club General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan and others.