BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday expressed growing concerns over the interim government's ability to govern effectively, citing recent incidents—including the controversial departure of former President Abdul Hamid—as evidence of waning public confidence.
"Recent developments have raised serious doubts among people from various walks of life about the interim government’s capability to fulfill its responsibilities," Tarique said during a virtual address at an Easter Reunion event organized by the Bangladesh Christian Forum at an auditorium in Dhaka’s Farmgate Khamarbari area.
Despite these concerns, he said, the BNP continues to support the interim administration, aiming to establish a truly representative government through public mandate. “We are cooperating in the hope of achieving a democratic structure accountable to the people,” he stated.
Tarique highlighted the unresolved case of Sajedul Islam Sumon, a Dhaka city unit BNP leader allegedly abducted by RAB in December 2013, who remains missing. “It wasn’t just Sumon—countless individuals were abducted, tortured, and killed during the previous autocratic regime,” he said.
He also condemned the police raid on the home of Sanjida Islam Tuli, Sumon’s sister and founder of Maayer Daak (Call of Mother), an organization representing families of enforced disappearance victims. “This is deeply troubling. The police claim they are unaware of Sumon’s disappearance, which is astonishing,” he said.
Turning to the case of Abdul Hamid, Tarique questioned how a former president could leave the country without government knowledge. “This escape is eerily similar to Sheikh Hasina’s departure on 5 August last year,” he noted. “The interim government now claims ignorance of Hamid’s exit—what, then, do they actually know?”
He accused the government of possibly using its reform agenda as a smokescreen to facilitate the quiet exit of former regime leaders and to destabilize the unity among anti-autocratic political forces.
“These repeated incidents are creating widespread skepticism among the public. People are questioning the motives behind the delay and the government’s true intentions,” he warned.
Tarique concluded by reaffirming BNP’s commitment to democratic transition while stressing the need for transparency and accountability in the interim administration's actions.
