Tarique Rahman Expresses Expectation for Free and Fair National Election Under an Interim Government
BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, has expressed his hope for a free and fair national election under an interim government. He stated that a meeting took place yesterday (Saturday) between BNP’s delegation and Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus. In that meeting, BNP reiterated its demand that the national election be held by December.
Tarique Rahman made these remarks while virtually joining a discussion event from London on the occasion of the 18th founding anniversary of the National People’s Party (NPP), held on Sunday at the Institution of Diploma Engineers auditorium in Kakrail, Dhaka.
BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, said that the people of the country want to witness an immediate, free, and fair national election — not under this current government. Calling for constructive criticism of the government, Tarique Rahman said that whether it is a directly elected government, an interim government, or a caretaker government, citizens must continue to hold the government accountable through constructive criticism.
The people of the country are not recipients of the government’s charity. The government is bound to accept the people’s legitimate demands. There is no room for ego or resentment in governance. Mentioning that the absence of a stable democratic government has brought stagnation to both domestic and foreign investment, the BNP leader added that an uncertain political and economic situation is creating unrest among people from all walks of life.
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As a result, various groups of people are taking to the streets daily with different demands. But sadly, there is no one to listen to their grievances at this moment. Tarique Rahman stated that by imposing reforms on the National Board of Revenue (NBR) just before passing the budget, the interim government has created a deadlock in revenue collection. He remarked that this is not good for the economy. Everyone believes that a democratically accountable government is best suited to handle such situations effectively.
He also emphasized that reform is a continuous process. There is no such thing as minor or major reform. Reform is a sequential process based on the needs of the state and politics. However, practical reform is more crucial than theoretical reform.
Tarique Rahman said that although the interim government might not face a moral or political legitimacy crisis, it is not accountable to the people. Therefore, for moral reasons, the government’s specific plans need to be clearly communicated to the public. Plans that are kept in the dark from the people or leave political parties in uncertainty will never be effective or sustainable.
