Nothing to be overenthusiastic, Tofail tells BNP about BJP

He asks BNP to wait for next polls

 Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Saturday said Bangladesh’s friendly relations with India would remain unhurt with the change of government in New Delhi.

“It’s of no use to be overenthusiastic by BNP as it is a government-to-government and country-to-country relation. You (BNP) seem to be very happy. There’s nothing to be so delighted. The relation (with AL) will remain unchanged,” he said.

Tofail was speaking at a political discussion in the city sitting next to BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed.

The Commerce Minister suggested BNP to wait with patience for the next national election. “Let’s wait. The next election will be held in time and peacefully,” a smiling Tofail said.

Tofail said BNP is realising their mistake of boycotting the election. “At least you (Moudud) have realised the mistake.”

He said the foreign friends who talked a lot about before the election are now very close to the government. “They’re very close to us these days. There’s no problem. Everything is settled,” he added.

Apparently taunting Moudud, Tofail said, “We feel for you. We feel very bad when we don’t see you in parliament.”

On dialogue, he said BNP must fix its own mind first to have dialogue. “Dialogue, everything will be held. But you have to wait.”

Responding to BNP’s movement threat, Tofail said they are aware of BNP’s strength. “You went to the extreme point to stop the January 5 elections, but you failed.”

The veteran politician, however, admitted that doing politics has become difficult for the genuine politicians. “It has become tough to do politics for people like us.”

He also said autocratic rules in the past have destroyed the country’s political system.

Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) arranged the discussion titled ‘Political Parties and Democracy in Bangladesh’ at Brac Centre Inn with its chairman Prof Rahman Sobhan in the chair.

Source: UNB Connect