PM highlights successes, hides failures: BNP
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s address to the nation drew mixed reactions from leaders of different political parties yesterday.
A few termed her speech frustrating since she did not give any clear idea about how the next parliamentary elections would be held. This has been a key issue in the country’s political arena for a while.
The Daily Star talked to leaders of the main opposition BNP, ruling Awami League’s allies in the grand alliance, and others to learn their views on the premier’s 30-minute speech to the nation yesterday evening.
BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said, “The prime minister’s speech frustrated people as she did not place any solution to the ongoing political crisis over the caretaker government issue.
“It seems she is rigid on her stance on the caretaker government issue.”
He rejected Hasina’s claim that the Election Commission had been made more powerful. He claimed the commission was working as per government directives.
He said the premier avoided her government’s failures and glorified the achievements in her speech.
Mahbubur Rahman also trashed Hasina’s comment that the BNP was trying to save the war criminals and that the government was handling corruption strictly.
Workers Party of Bangladesh President Rashed Khan Menon said there was no alternative to dialogues between the ruling Awami League and the BNP for reaching a consensus on the next elections.
Jatiya Party (JP-Manju) Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju said the premier tried to send two clear messages to the people: Firstly, people who were behind the January 11, 2007, changeover were still active and needed to be thwarted. And secondly, by saying all the elections under the current government had been fair, she wanted to say that the next elections would be held under the present government.
Communist Party of Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim claimed that the prime minister’s speech was self-contradictory.
Instead of talking about an acceptable way to hold the polls, Hasina talked about a conspiracy to restage the 1/11 changeover, but she claimed that the next elections would be free and fair.
Jatiya Party Presidium member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu said, “Like many others, we also thought the prime minister would give a clear guideline on how the next elections would be held in line with the constitution, but she didn’t.”
Bablu, the political adviser to the party Chairman HM Ershad, said the prime minister only mentioned the successes of the government but did not mention the failures.
Meanwhile, noted columnist Syed Abul Moksud termed Hasina’s speech routine and self-praising.
“We expected that the prime minister would give some way outs of the present political crisis over the caretaker government system… So I am a little frustrated,” he said.
Source: The Daily Star
