BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that certain political quarters are raising new and unfamiliar demands to deliberately disrupt the upcoming elections.
Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion marking the 10th death anniversary of freedom fighter Kazi Jafar Ahmed on Wednesday, Fakhrul said, “Unfortunately, some political forces are intentionally creating obstacles to derail the election process, raising demands that the people of Bangladesh are unfamiliar with.”
The event was organized by the Bhasani People’s Power Party at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club in Dhaka.
Fakhrul emphasized that political parties have extended full cooperation to the interim government in implementing reforms and have never obstructed the process or created major demands to embarrass the administration publicly.
“The concept of reform is not widely understood by ordinary citizens. It will take time for them to grasp proportional representation (PR) and other mechanisms, and many are making threats during discussions about its implementation,” Fakhrul said.
Recalling the BNP’s demands for elections within three months after the mass uprising, Fakhrul said he faced heavy criticism at the time. He added, “Whenever change occurs, others try to exploit it. If elections had been held within three months of the uprising, the country would not be facing its current economic crisis. A newly elected government could have implemented reforms and neutralized these forces with the people’s mandate.”
Fakhrul also accused some quarters of attempting to erase the memory of the Liberation War, stating, “Those who collaborated with the Pakistani forces are now speaking boldly. This requires heightened vigilance and caution.”
Commenting on internal government dynamics, he said, “Certain groups within the administration are consciously trying to prevent pro-democracy forces from coming to power, and much work remains to achieve the goal.”
He further claimed that the S. Alam Group had provided 2,500 crore taka to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India and alleged that plans were being made to use these funds to block elections in Bangladesh and facilitate Hasina’s return.
Fakhrul urged the government to finalize the July register (voter list) promptly and to arrange elections as announced without creating further complications.
The discussion was chaired by Bhasani People’s Power Party Chairman Sheikh Rafiqul Islam and moderated by the party’s Secretary General Abu Yusuf. Other speakers included Saiful Haque, General Secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party, Mostafa Jamal Haider, Chairman of the National Party (Kazi Jafar faction), and BNP Chairperson’s Advisor Nazmul Haque Nannu.
