Quick reforms for establishing elected govt demand of time: BNP
President's removal, national unity discussed, says Hasnat after a meeting with the party
BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said it is now a demand of time to complete reforms quickly for establishing a government elected by the people.
"One aspiration of 16 years' struggle and the mass uprising of students and people in July-August has been fulfilled with the fall of fascism. But another aspiration is the restoration of democracy and the restoration of people's rights," he said while addressing a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka today.
The BNP leader said democracy needs to be restored in such a way that it cannot be used against the people.
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"True democracy and people's democracy must be reestablished. Therefore, it is now a demand of the time to establish an elected government and elected rule by completing the necessary reforms," he said.
Nazrul also warned that the longer the government takes to hold the election, the more new organisations will emerge, and many individuals will present various proposals and aspirations, claiming to represent the people's will.
The rally was organised by the Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani Anusari Parishad, demanding the re-inclusion of Bhasani's biography in the seventh and ninth-grade textbooks.
Recalling the role of Moulana Bhasani, Nazrul said the Awami League regime attempted to erase the name and immense contributions of the great leader from history.
Anti-discrimination Student Movement representatives meet BNP leaders
Also today, Representatives from Anti-discrimination Student Movement led by its convener Hasnat Abdullah met BNP leaders at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed and Joint Secretary General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie were present at the meeting.
Among others, Anti-discrimination Student Movement spokesperson Umama Fatema, and Chief Organiser Abdul Hannan Masud, along with National Citizens' Committee Convener Nasiruddin Patoari and Spokesperson Samantha Sharmin, as well as Akhter Hossain were present.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Hasnat said, "We discussed the removal of the president, a second republic and national unity with the BNP for a new political order. The BNP said they will inform us of their position on these matters after discussing it in their party forum."
He further said, "We have held meetings with Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolan Bangladesh in the last two days. They agreed with some of our views. Jamaat-e-Islami has said that the president has lost the moral qualification to hold office."
He also announced that student leaders will hold meetings today with several other political parties, including the 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Ganatantra Mancha, and Gono Odhikar Parishad, on these issues.
