BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has described the 2007–08 military-backed caretaker government, known as the 1/11 regime, as a “maliciously motivated administration” that sought to dismantle Bangladesh’s political system and depoliticize the nation.
Speaking in the second and final part of an interview with BBC Bangla, Tarique said the 1/11 government “wanted to destroy everything and push the country into darkness.”
When asked about his assessment of that period, Tarique responded, “In one sentence, the 1/11 government was a purpose-driven and maliciously motivated regime.”
He elaborated that despite mistakes and challenges, Bangladesh’s politics had been gradually evolving toward a democratic foundation. However, according to him, the 1/11 government attempted to crush that progress and eliminate political participation.
Tarique added, “Later, we saw perhaps a different version of the same forces — in the name of democracy.”
The exiled BNP leader, who has been living in London since September 2008, also emphasized that his party now wants to move forward and focus on taking the country ahead.
This was Tarique Rahman’s first interview with any media outlet in 17 years. The second part of the BBC Bangla interview was published today (Tuesday), following the first part released on Monday. In the two-part interview, he discussed a wide range of topics, including party reforms, Bangladesh–India relations, the 1/11 period, and the future of national politics.
