Breaking over three-month silence BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed has finally made his public appearance at a programme in the capital on Friday.
Moudud, who usually talks before the media every Friday, had remained silent since mid-September when his book titled Bangladesh Emergency and the Aftermath (2007-2008) hit the market drawing huge flak from inside the party.
In the much-talked-about book he talked about the army-backed caretaker government rule and the then political situation of the country.
He wrote that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was more concerned about her two sons than the party.
He also claimed that many BNP leaders were involved in corruption in the 2001-06 tenure of BNP-led four-party alliance government.
After the book was published the party high-ups and ranks and files expressed grievances and smelt conspiracy over his book.
Since then he has kept himself aloof from not only the media but also from the party forum. After that he first attended the standing committee meeting of the party on November 13.
Moudud, attending a programme said his party would cancel the broadcast policy whenever the party assumed the office.
“There is no democracy in the country. There is no politics. Autocrats are always afraid of newspapers, criticisms. Incumbent autocracy is the continuation of the past,” he said at a discussion at National Press Club.
Addressing the discussion organised by Bangladesh Federal Journalist Union (a BFUJ faction) and Dhaka Journalists Union (a DUJ faction), the BNP leader alleged that the government was trying to gag the media in the guise of democracy.
Moudud, who was a close aide of autocratic ruler HM Ershad, said anti-Ershad movement was successful as journalists were united. “Journalists have to be united again.”
The BNP leader, who has worked with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman, Ershad and now with Khaleda Zia, said if BNP assumes the office no television channel will be closed.
“Even journalists would not be sent to jail.”
When BNP-led four-party alliance government assumed the office in 2001, country’s private television channel Ekushey TV was shut down.
The former minister assured that whenever his party assumed the office, judiciary, anti corruption commission, public service commission, election commission and other institutions would be strengthened and freedom of those organisations be ensured.
Moudud claimed his party’s ongoing movement is not to go to power rather restore democracy in the country. “Begum Khaleda Zia is the only leader who can lead the movement.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
BNP must make this pledge very loud and clear that it’s current movement is to restore democracy in the country. BNP is not asking people to restore them in power. If in a free and fair election under a neutral government people choose Hasina, BNP will happily accept Hasina as the PM. This will increase BNP’s credibility as a democratic force and people will line up in this movement.