Friday | 18 April 2025 | Reg No- 06
Bangla
   
Bangla | Friday | 18 April 2025 | Epaper
BREAKING: ● US reiterates support for Bangladesh's reform agenda      ● Hajj management centres, app to be introduced      ● New political party 'Bangladesh A-AM Janata Party' makes debut       ● Bought sweets from many shops, no shopkeeper gives VAT receipts: NBR chief      ● Model Meghna Alam shown arrested in fraud case       ● 'BNP not against reforms, rather it is the party of reforms'      ● BNP begins dialogue with Consensus Commission      

Exclusive Interview

The demand for local govt polls a tactics to delay national election

Published : Sunday, 23 March, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 410
Ishraq Hossain, Special Assistant to BNP Chairperson's Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee and BNP's Mayor candidate for the next Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), said that the demand to hold local government polls before the national election is a diversionary tactics to delay the parliament elections.

He opposed the demand to hold national election and Constituent Assembly election simultaneously. "Our demand is to hold the general election first," he asserts.

Ishraq, who is emerging as an influential young leader in BNP with close link with Tarique Rahman, BNP Acting Chairman, said that the country's political environment has been changing since the July-August Uprising that overthrow Sheikh Hasina's fascist regime. He added that now we have more freedom. However, he observed the country lacks stability and law and order has deteriorated significantly.

Stressing the demand for immediate national election he asserted only an elected government can solve the issues now confronting the country. He apprehends a concerted effort is being made to postpone the general election which will be "detrimental to the country and the people."

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer, Ishraq Hossain, a popular figure in Dhaka city politics as the son of late Sadeq Hossain Khoka, a valiant Freedom Fighter and elected Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation, talked about politics, national election, BNP's organisational strength and country's transition to democracy. Walid Khan, Staff Correspondent of the Daily Observer took his interview.

Following is the excerpt of his interview:

DO: The student political party, Jatiya Nagorik Party (JCP), along with its various platforms, is demanding for holding the city corporation elections before the national elections. What is your opinion on their demand?
Ishraq: This is a diversionary tactic. We are already witnessing demand of reforms being introduced before the national elections. Following that, students are voicing their opinions on local government election, city corporation election and DUCSU election.

They also demanded to hold national elections and the Constituent Assembly elections simultaneously. This whole narrative is an attempt to delay the General Elections.

Our demand is to hold general election first.

DO: What do you think the common people of the country truly want 'elections first or reforms first'?
Ishraq: The people of the country want general election first . However, some social media influencers and members of civil society have been spreading a narrative that whenever elections are mentioned, it's seen as a negative thing.
They are trying to establish that, BNP is not focusing on the trial of fascists and not prioritize reforms.

DO: Why do you consider the demands of the students to be unreasonable?
Ishraq: I don't necessarily consider their demands unreasonable, but I disagree with them given the current political context.

Bangladesh is currently facing a massive conspiracy by defeated fascist forces. Their allies are embedded in key institutions across the country. Only a constitutional government, elected by the people, can steer the country out of this situation. This requires national elections to take place first.

Let me also clarify: the BNP was the first to discuss reforms for Bangladeshis. After engaging with other political parties, our acting chairperson, Tarique Rahman, came up with a 31-point reform proposal.

We have promised the people that we will reform and prosecute those responsible for the Sairachar genocide.

Many leaders and activists from BNP have sacrificed their lives over the past 17 years, and if we don't pursue justice, can we expect the people's support in the future?

We're not just playing politics to win elections for the next five years. Our politics is for the people, and without their support, our existence would be at risk.

DO: There are allegations that BNP is sheltering various Awami League leaders and activists. Is this why students are reluctant to trust BNP?
Ishraq: This is part of the propaganda against BNP. If BNP were to shelter Awami League leaders and activists, decision would have to come from the central leadership of the party.

The people of this country know very well that those involved in genocide will never be protected by BNP's central leadership.

However, there may be instances where some individuals in the party may have personal sympathies for certain Awami League members. We've seen cases where two brothers, one from BNP and the other from Awami League, are in opposing parties but maintain familial bonds. In these instances, personal relationships may take precedence over political allegiance.

But I want to make it clear: anyone attempting to protect genocide perpetrators will be expelled from the party. We've already taken steps according to our top level direction.

DO: Regarding allegations that BNP was reluctant to ban the Awami League and demand the resignation of the President, what do you say?
Ishraq: Whether or not the Awami League participates in the elections is not for BNP to decide-it's up to the will of the people. However, the government is strategically shifting responsibility onto BNP, claiming that the party is insisting on Awami League participation in the elections.
As for the resignation of the President, it is a constitutional matter, and BNP has no role in it.

DO: How would you assess the political environment after August 5?
Ishraq: The political environment in Bangladesh has been changing rapidly since August 5. As a citizen of the country and a BNP worker, I observe these changes closely.
As a citizen, I can say that I now have more freedom compared to the time under Sheikh Hasina's leadership. However, the country lacks stability, and law and order have deteriorated significantly. What I want is an elected government that can address these issues.

As a politician, I believe a concerted effort is being made to postpone our elections, which is detrimental to the country and its people. A challenging time lies ahead for all of us. A soft campaign is being run against BNP. BNP has expelled leaders and activists from several districts due to their involvement in criminal activities. Does this prove that BNP leaders and activists are engaged in such crimes?
At the central level, BNP has never supported such activities. On the contrary, we have expelled many of those involved in such acts and issued show-cause notices to others.

That said, we acknowledge that there are areas for improvement within our ranks. If we are to meet the expectations of the people after August 5, we must correct these issues.

DO: There are accusations against grassroots leaders and activists. Do you plan to make any changes in the selection of grassroots leadership in the future?
Ishraq: This is something we are actively considering. We haven't been able to conduct normal political activities over the past 16 years due to the political climate. As a result, we were forced to elect workers from the Trinamool.

The politics in our country is influenced by subcontinental political culture, and much of it revolves around bourgeois politics. But we are aware of the need for internal reforms.

DO: What kind of movement will BNP undertake for the elections after Eid?
Ishraq: After August 5, Bangladeshi politicians took a collective sigh of relief. The political landscape has shifted several times in the last seven months, and uncertainty surrounds the national elections needed to restore democracy.

This environment may change again after the upcoming Eid. I believe our next move will depend on how the situation unfolds.



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Jamaat Ameer demands reforms before nat’l polls
BNP not against reforms, but it should be done thru consensus: Nazrul Islam
BD demands official apology for genocide in 1971 Liberation War
Tk 2,619cr in accounts linked to S Alam, assos frozen 
Govt approves Ordinance to prevent bank fund looting
Doubts grow over IMF's $2.4b loan release as June deadline looms
CA stresses on strengthening ties with Pakistan
Election plan coming in July for Dec polls: EC Anwar
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: [email protected], news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close