Several former leftwing and liberal politicians have criticised statements by top ruling party leaders and the Prime Minister’s son over the possible outcome of the forthcoming national election.
The discussion, convened by Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSod) President ASM Abdur Rab, was attended, among others, by Bikalpadhara Bangladesh President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Krishak Shramik Janata League’s Kader Siddiqui, Jatiya Party Presidium Member Kazi Zafar Ahmed, Nagarik Oikya Member Secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Professor Syed Anowar Hossain, and Prof Mahbub Ullah, too, attended the programme.
The possibilities of forging a ‘separate political alliance’ outside the Awami League and the BNP were also discussed.
“That was the tenor of the discussion,” Rab told bdnews24.com.
He said Mujahidul Islam Selim of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and BaSad General Secretary Khalequzzaman did not attend despite being invited.
Criticising the two leading political parties, Manna said they were ‘turning out to be private companies’.
“Whatever their Managing Directors want is done,” he said referring to Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
“The BNP wants people like Badruddozza Chowdhury, Kamal Hossain, and Kader Siddiqui for the next polls because the people do not want to see the Jamaat-e-Islami,” the former BaSad leader said.
In a clear reference to BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman, Manna said, “One is currently in London where he had studied and took part in an election campaign. He has vowed to form a new type of government and so did his mother.”
The former Awami League leader dubbed Hasina ‘persistent and full of pride’. “She is out in the field in support of her son’s statements.”
Attending an Iftar programme on Jul 23, Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy had said he had ‘information’ that the Awami League would come to power again.
Amid the opposition’s criticism, Hasina on Sunday backed her son, claiming the BNP had ‘misinterpreted’ the statement.
Manna said: “I believe Joy had made mistakes in choosing his words. What he might have wanted to say is that he had a ‘blueprint’ [regarding the polls].”
He alleged it was part of the ruling party’s ‘plot’.The former Awami League leader claimed the ongoing war crimes trials were being conducted in a ‘one-sided’ manner.
Kazi Zafar Ahmed, a minister during BNP-founder Ziaur Rahman’s tenure, said chances of a national election were ‘slim’.
“If the Prime Minister resorts to indiscretions, her party’s entity, not hers, will be lost.”
Dr Zafarullah also took a swoop on Hasina. “She’s delirious, sick, because all her family members had been assassinated. Be it for a wrong or logical reason, as a doctor [I] will have to treat her with mercy.
“When she in a good mood, she’s very affectionate. She cooks for her son. But another side of her character is bloodthirstiness.”
BNP’s founding Secretary General Bodruddozza Chowdhury criticised Hasina for rejecting calls to reinstate the caretaker government provision to oversee the polls.
“Who did she point to when saying ‘an election will not take place in 10 years’. Is she inviting a veiled force?”
On Saturday, the Prime Minister reminded the opposition of the country’s experiences under the rule of the last army-backed caretaker government.
“The country will not see any election in the coming 10 years if any unconstitutional body comes to power this time,” she had said.
Chowdhury, a former President, said, “The Prime Minister is making such statements as her party would not win a free and fair election.”
Former Awami League leader Kader Siddiqui said: “The biggest agenda of the Grand Alliance is trying the [suspected] war criminals. It failed to give the nation anything else.”
“We are stuck in politics as if in a traffic jam,” he said expressing his apparent frustration over the nature of current political practices.
Source: Bd news24