Govt must accept people’s demands without 'affection or ill will': Tarique

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has said the interim administration is bound to heed the people's rightful demands, stressing that there is no place for the government's hard feelings or "affection or ill will" in this regard.

He made the remarks while addressing a discussion marking the 18th anniversary of the National People's Party (NPP) in Dhaka this afternoon.

Tarique joined the event virtually.

He said BNP expected that, under the leadership of the head of the interim government, the nation would soon witness "the freest and fairest national election in the country's history".

"No plan of the government will be effective by keeping the political parties and the people in the dark," he said.

"Every citizen must remain vocal in establishing their rights. The people of the country are not subjects of the government's mercy. The government must listen to the people and accept their rightful demands. There is no space for the government's affection and ill will here," Tarique reiterated.

On the question of legitimacy, the BNP leader said, "While the current interim government, established through the sacrifices of thousands of martyrs, may not face a moral or political legitimacy crisis, this government is certainly not accountable to the people. Since the government is not accountable, it is ethically necessary for its specific plans to be clear to the public. Keeping the people in the dark and leaving political parties uncertain will never lead to an effective and sustainable plan."

Referring to recent developments, he said leaders of political parties had again met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to demand a clear announcement of the date for the national election.

"BNP demands that the national election be held within December. To ensure the national election, BNP and others who have protested together on the streets continue to fully support the interim government in undertaking the necessary reforms in the civil administration and law enforcement."

Tarique warned that denying the people their political power can lead to authoritarian tendencies.

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"If people's political power is ensured in the country, it becomes difficult for the government to develop a fascist character. Whether it is a directly elected government, an interim government, or a caretaker government, if the government is not held accountable to the people, it may unknowingly become authoritarian. This is why, despite threats, citizens must continue constructive criticism of the government," he said.

Turning to the economy, the BNP leader criticised the government's sudden move to reform the National Board of Revenue (NBR) ahead of the national budget.

"Right before passing the budget, the interim government suddenly imposed 'reform pressure' on the NBR, which has created a deadlock in revenue collection, and this is not a favourable situation for the country's economy."

He added, "Although the NBR may not have a direct role in budget formulation, its role is crucial in implementing the budget through revenue collection. In such circumstances, imposing abrupt reforms on the NBR just before budget approval has led to a revenue collection deadlock, which is certainly not beneficial for our economy."

"To handle situations like this, an accountable democratic government is believed to be the most effective, especially by democracy-supporting citizens," Tarique said.

He also blamed the lack of a stable democratic structure for stagnation in both domestic and foreign investment.

"An uncertain political and economic scenario is creating unrest among various groups of people almost daily. The people are taking to the streets daily with various demands, but at this moment, no one seems to be listening to their grievances."

Drawing attention to pro-democracy citizens, Tarique said, "Any delay or excuse in establishing an accountable government gives 'defeated authoritarian forces' the opportunity to rise again."

"Through the establishment of democratic rights in a fascism-free Bangladesh, the resurgence of fascist forces can be prevented," he added.