Fakhrul demands roadmap for polls

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today urged the interim government to place immediately a roadmap for the next general election.

He also called for an urgent dialogue on the national polls between the new government headed by Professor Muhammad Yunus and the political parties.

Fakhrul made the call at a discussion organised by the Bhasani Anusari Parishad at the National Press Club in Dhaka to mark the ninth death anniversary of former prime minister Kazi Zafar Ahmed.

"We have a lot of expectations from the interim government. We think they will hold the elections within a reasonable time," he said, voicing the party's confidence in the Yunus-led government. "But it [election] must be done within a specific, limited and reasonable time."

The BNP leader said his party expects the interim government to work to meet the needs of the people as soon as possible. To do this, the government has to hold discussions with the political parties about ways to speed up an election and implement the necessary reforms, he said.

"I want to emphasise the election. Elections are crucial for reforms that have come to the forefront. Because [without elections] how will the reforms be completed? These will be done through an elected parliament. There is no alternative.

"I don't believe that a few people will be able to make reforms. I believe that reforms should come through people's participation," he added.

Fakhrul then called upon the interim government for a roadmap for the election. "We believe those in the government are sincere and qualified people. But we want their work to be more visible.

"We want to see that the chief adviser will soon present to the people what he wants to do – give a roadmap on how he will organise elections very soon, how he will bring about the necessary reforms and give relief to the people and move forward for elections."

Fakhrul stressed the need for dialogue and said, "So far, there has been no real agenda-based discussion between the political parties and this government. Opinions of the political parties should be taken."

Regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors to the universities, he said, "No vice-chancellor has been appointed to the universities so far although the previous vice-chancellors have resigned. We want to see people acceptable to all as vice-chancellors."

Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) Chairman Mustafa Jamal Haider and Nagarik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, among others, spoke at the event presided over by Bhasani Anusari Parishad Chairman Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu.