Saturday, 12 July, 2025
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today called on the Election Commission (EC) to work swiftly to organise a free, fair, and acceptable national election, welcoming the recent directive from Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus for timely election preparations.
Addressing a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, Fakhrul expressed gratitude to Professor Yunus for instructing the EC to complete all preparations for the national election by December.
“He [Prof Yunus] deserves thanks for that,” Fakhrul said. “Today, from this forum, I want to thank Professor Yunus for his clear instruction to the Election Commission to finalise all election-related preparations by December. That is a very positive development.”
The Chief Adviser’s order underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring a timely and credible election process. Fakhrul emphasized the importance of this directive and urged the EC to act quickly.
“We hope the Election Commission will complete these preparations promptly and create an environment conducive to holding the election. We demand that the election be free, fair, and acceptable to all. The Election Commission is capable of delivering such an election and must work accordingly,” he added.
Fakhrul reaffirmed BNP’s commitment to democracy, stating, “We believe the party is greater than individuals, but the nation is greater than both. We strongly believe in liberal democracy. Power should change through elections, and only an elected government should lead the country and resolve its issues.”
He also stressed the temporary nature of the current interim government: “Why are we asking this government for everything? It is just an interim government. Do those involved understand politics or the people better than us? No, they don’t. But we have entrusted them with responsibility, and we accept what has been agreed upon through discussion.”
Responding to doubts about the likelihood of elections, Fakhrul said, “I am an optimistic person. Many—including Manna Bhai [president of Nagorik Oikya]—say elections won’t happen. But why not? The people want elections. They have sacrificed their lives because they want elected representation in parliament.”
He emphasized, “I don’t think there is a problem. The issue is about swiftly completing the necessary steps and transitioning toward an elected government. It’s a path toward strengthening democracy.”
On accusations that BNP is obstructing reform, Fakhrul strongly rejected the claims: “Reform is in our blood; our very birth [BNP] was through reform. If someone says BNP is blocking reform today, that is an extremely unjust accusation. To say we don’t want reform and are obstructing it is a grave crime against the truth.”
Turning to economic concerns, Fakhrul expressed alarm over the recent 35 percent tariff imposed by the United States on Bangladesh’s exports.
“I’m not sure how much the interim government has paid attention to this, but they should have given more focus and worked with the most qualified people on this issue,” he said.
“We are indeed in trouble — the country and the nation face serious challenges. The US has imposed a 35 percent tariff on our exports, mainly ready-made garments (RMG). If this sector faces such a tariff, it will collapse.”
“This means the backbone of our economy will be broken. This is a very serious, major problem,” he added.
Fakhrul urged the government to engage in urgent discussions to protect the industry, safeguard women’s employment, and prevent economic damage.
On border issues, Fakhrul appealed to the government to take the killings and push-ins at the border seriously and pursue rigorous negotiations with India.
“We are not speaking out boldly enough on border killings and push-ins; only minor updates are reported,” he said.
He called on journalists to raise public awareness urgently: “This is not trivial — it is happening daily all along the borders. We must address this matter with the seriousness it deserves.”
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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today called on the Election Commission (EC) to work swiftly to organise a free, fair, and acceptable national election, welcoming the recent directive from Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus for timely election preparations.
Addressing a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, Fakhrul expressed gratitude to Professor Yunus for instructing the EC to complete all preparations for the national election by December.
“He [Prof Yunus] deserves thanks for that,” Fakhrul said. “Today, from this forum, I want to thank Professor Yunus for his clear instruction to the Election Commission to finalise all election-related preparations by December. That is a very positive development.”
The Chief Adviser’s order underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring a timely and credible election process. Fakhrul emphasized the importance of this directive and urged the EC to act quickly.
“We hope the Election Commission will complete these preparations promptly and create an environment conducive to holding the election. We demand that the election be free, fair, and acceptable to all. The Election Commission is capable of delivering such an election and must work accordingly,” he added.
Fakhrul reaffirmed BNP’s commitment to democracy, stating, “We believe the party is greater than individuals, but the nation is greater than both. We strongly believe in liberal democracy. Power should change through elections, and only an elected government should lead the country and resolve its issues.”
He also stressed the temporary nature of the current interim government: “Why are we asking this government for everything? It is just an interim government. Do those involved understand politics or the people better than us? No, they don’t. But we have entrusted them with responsibility, and we accept what has been agreed upon through discussion.”
Responding to doubts about the likelihood of elections, Fakhrul said, “I am an optimistic person. Many—including Manna Bhai [president of Nagorik Oikya]—say elections won’t happen. But why not? The people want elections. They have sacrificed their lives because they want elected representation in parliament.”
He emphasized, “I don’t think there is a problem. The issue is about swiftly completing the necessary steps and transitioning toward an elected government. It’s a path toward strengthening democracy.”
On accusations that BNP is obstructing reform, Fakhrul strongly rejected the claims: “Reform is in our blood; our very birth [BNP] was through reform. If someone says BNP is blocking reform today, that is an extremely unjust accusation. To say we don’t want reform and are obstructing it is a grave crime against the truth.”
Turning to economic concerns, Fakhrul expressed alarm over the recent 35 percent tariff imposed by the United States on Bangladesh’s exports.
“I’m not sure how much the interim government has paid attention to this, but they should have given more focus and worked with the most qualified people on this issue,” he said.
“We are indeed in trouble — the country and the nation face serious challenges. The US has imposed a 35 percent tariff on our exports, mainly ready-made garments (RMG). If this sector faces such a tariff, it will collapse.”
“This means the backbone of our economy will be broken. This is a very serious, major problem,” he added.
Fakhrul urged the government to engage in urgent discussions to protect the industry, safeguard women’s employment, and prevent economic damage.
On border issues, Fakhrul appealed to the government to take the killings and push-ins at the border seriously and pursue rigorous negotiations with India.
“We are not speaking out boldly enough on border killings and push-ins; only minor updates are reported,” he said.
He called on journalists to raise public awareness urgently: “This is not trivial — it is happening daily all along the borders. We must address this matter with the seriousness it deserves.”
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