Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday demanded immediate withdrawal of all lawsuits filed falsely against leaders and workers of BNP and other political parties which fought against the last autocratic regime.
“I reiterate my call to the interim government for immediate withdrawal of the false cases against our party leaders and workers and other opposition parties,” he told at a discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) auditorium at Segun Bagicha here.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) organized the discussion titled “Bicameral Parliament: Upper House Formation”.
Mirza Fakhrul also demanded compensation for those who were killed and wounded in the movement against autocratic regime.
Fakhrul said many individuals still remained embedded in administration, who were involved in corruption and criminalization and supported the fascist regime to cling on to power.
The BNP secretary general urged the government to remove the supporters of fascism immediately after finding them out and constitute a neutral structure for ensuring a free and fair election.
In the keynote paper of the discussion, JSD proposed for constituting bicameral parliamentary system having four-year term.
As per the proposal, lower house of the parliament will have 300 seats and upper house will have 200 seats.
Lower house will be constituted with the political party representatives while the upper house will be filled up with professionals and representatives of different classes of people.
Election-time government will be constituted from upper chamber, it proposed.
About the reform proposals, Mirza Fakhrul said any reform or change should not take place without public opinion.
He said the interim government has been formed provisionally for running the state and holding a national election.
BNP believes that fundamental reforms or amendments cannot be made without the opinion of the people and that amendment should be done by the parliament, he said.
So, parliamentary elections should be held in a free and fair manner under a neutral government, he noted.
JSD President ASM Abdur Rab said a free and fair election must be held for bringing back the country’s ownership to people.
But without making central reforms, holding election will not bring result, he said adding that constitution and governance system should be amended.
Those who carried out homicide cannot be pardoned and they must be brought to justice, Abdur Rab said.
Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna said steering is in the hand of those who are now in the interim government.
They will have to take the final decision, he said.
Biplobi Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque said after the successful revolution in Nepal, the country introduced democratic system and constituted two-chamber parliament.
JSD President ASM Abdur Rab presided over the discussion while its general secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan and Joint General Secretary Kamal Uddin Patwari moderated it.
Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) leader Mostafa Jamal Haider, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Sharif Nurul Ambia, Gono Forum General Secretary Subrata Chowdhury, Rashtra Sangskar Andolan leader Hasnat Kaiyum, Ganosanghati Andolan executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel, AB Party leader Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad and Bhashani Anushari Parishad leader Abu Yusuf Selim also spoke on the occasion.
Ganosanghati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, JSD leader Mohammad Siraj Mia, Tania Rab and KM Jabir were also present, among others.
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