Liberal Islamic Alliance and Bangladesh Supreme Party Chairman Shahzada Dr. Syed Saifuddin Ahmad Maizbhandari commented that there can be no alternative to dialogue for fair elections.
He said, if someone wants to sit in dialogue with conditions, then it will not be right. Dialogue should be held without conditions. Everyone has to decide what to do to solve this problem. If we want to do healthy politics, we have to think healthy. We are ready to sit and talk with all the political parties to resolve the crisis in the upcoming elections. All political parties should work to establish the fundamental rights of the people.
He said these things while presiding over the round table discussion meeting on ‘current political violence and crisis under the initiative of Liberal Islamic Alliance’ at Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday (November 14).
BNP Chairman Shahzada Dr. Syed Saifuddin Ahmad Maizbhandari said that Bangladesh is passing through a special time, ahead of the elections. There can be no substitute for dialogue for fair elections. And if the violence continues like this, then the anarchy in the world will increase day by day. So we have to solve our problems ourselves. Foreign states may have concerns here but we have to solve the problem.
Dr. Syed Saifuddin Ahmed said, “The market syndicates are increasing the price of products because of the opposition parties who are blocking. So this blockade went in favor of the people? Therefore, to bring the daily necessities of people within reach, we have to come out of such programs. Work on behalf of the people.
Educationist Nazmul Ahsan Kaleem Ullah has called for some electoral reforms before the Election Commission expires so that small parties can participate in participatory elections. He said that the central leaders of BNP are under detention. Dialogue with them has to be done virtually. Which is literally impossible. Besides, Election Commission said that all election activities should be completed by January 29. But before their power ends some reforms have to be done. Every five years we have to reform the elections. Through which small parties can come in participatory elections.
Chairman of Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jot and Executive Chairman of Liberal Islamic Jot Michbahur Rahman Chowdhury said that violence and division are creating a kind of panic among the people of the country. So we wanted to form a coalition of Islamic parties. So that the crises of the people of the country can be ended through discussion. Besides, we will go to the election considering the situation of the next election. However, selections 14 and 18 were questionable. We don’t want to see this questionable election. Besides, the current Prime Minister was the one who agitated to fix the election system. But in 15 years in power, he could not ensure the implementation of voting. We do not believe in caretaker government. However, I believe that the elections will be held by retaining the Parliament with full powers to the Election Commission. But the Election Commission should be people with backbone. This guy with backbone needed to be found through the search committee, but it wasn’t.
He said, ‘In developed countries, big parties listen to small parties and take action accordingly. But in our country, the big parties become monsters by joining forces, they don’t want to listen to anyone. If someone has sole power, he becomes a fascist. So we talked about equal distribution of power, there should be a balance between the power of the Prime Minister as well as the President.
BNP has a lot of support, many people come to the streets because of their words. But due to the wrong program, they could not use this crowd in the movement. BNP has a big black hand behind them, they don’t want to let them go ahead.
300 candidates of the Liberal Islamic Alliance are ready to participate in the elections, said the executive chairman of the Liberal Islamic Alliance, Michbahur Rahman Chowdhury. He said, ‘But we don’t want to score goals in an empty field. Besides, we have no problem going to elections under the Prime Minister’s government. But the Election Commission needs to be strengthened. We do not support the caretaker method. But I do not believe in being in power alone. If you get the election mark of the boat, you have to come out of this attitude.
He said, ‘Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s responsibility is to explain to everyone. Because he is the one who can understand everyone well with sincerity.
Michbahur Rahman Chowdhury said, ‘However, it was not right to arrest senior leaders without investigation in the incident of 28th. Some overzealous police have done this, and because of them the government is in danger. Therefore, the senior leaders of BNP should be released and dialogue should be arranged as soon as possible.
Chairman of Krishak Sramik Party Farahnaz Haque Chowdhury said that if we want to get rid of the current crisis, we all have to sit together and work together. He said, ‘All political parties have to discuss. And the discussion should be every week. Nowadays, when going out of the house, everyone thinks whether he will be able to return home properly. So no people of the country want to live in this fear. So we have to make sure that the next election is beautiful.
Alam Noori Al Sureshwari, chairman of Auliya Oikya Parishad in Ashiqin, Bangladesh, said, “We do not want the anarchy that is going on in the country. Attempts of militancy may be again centered around the upcoming elections. Therefore, no solution is possible in this short time to solve the crisis of the upcoming elections. We want a negation.
Otherwise, the way the opposition parties are secretly agitating shows that they are leading the country towards a civil war. We have to get out of it.
Bangladesh Jandal (BJD) chairman Mahbubur Rahman Joy Chowdhury said that one crisis is another danger in the country and said that we have to find out how these crises were created. We think that in a country two political parties are one danger and the other is a danger. Therefore, if you want to implement the spirit of the liberation war, what was supposed to be achieved has not been done in this country even in 52 years. We have seen everything from logging to burning. So I want to say, let us all solve this danger together. Through which we can realize a beautiful country.
National Awami Party (NAP Bhasani) Chairman Hasrat Khan Bhasani advised not to belittle anyone as a political party and said that if you want to make a political settlement, you have to work for the welfare of the people. What will happen with this development if there is no security for the people. Besides, if you want to go to the election, you have to take everyone’s opinion. The hands of the Election Commission should be strengthened. The judicial system needs to be reformed. At the same time, all parties should have a spirit of compromise. Otherwise, we will not be able to leave anything good to future generations.
Advocate Salim Chowdhury, vice chairman of Krishak Sramik Party, said that there is no caretaker government anywhere in the world except Pakistan. Besides, the caretaker government we saw in 2007 meant that it was a conspiracy to remove political figures. So we have to strengthen the hands of the Election Commission to deal with this crisis. Full power should be given to him. Besides, the government has to initiate a successful dialogue to remove all political crises.
BSP Secretary General Abdul Aziz Sarkar said, “Our Liberal Islami alliance has been made with six parties. The reason for this was that we would solve the country’s crisis by being united. We got freedom by fighting as one. So today we want to say through the Liberal Islamic Alliance that we will work to remove the plight of the people of Bengal.
Bangladesh Supreme Party Vice Chairman Bir Muktijoddha Fazlul Haque Akand said, we want a solution to the political crisis. To grow up, you have to be small. That is why I am saying that the father of the Prime Minister of the present government is the founder of this country. So they have to be small if necessary to achieve the great interests of the country.
Maulana Hanif Noori, secretary general of Ashiqin Auliya Oikya Parishad, said that no party is showing interest in resolving the crisis. In addition, it is not happening due to various word bomb statements of the government party. So all the parties should be united to resolve this crisis.
Supreme Party Vice Chairman Maulana Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan said that no party is benefiting from the current political crisis. If those who are now agitating and vandalizing come to power, what will they say about this vandalism? So we all have to come to healthy politics.
Bangladesh Jandal (BJD) Vice Chairman Mokhleshur Rahman said, the main goal of politics is to be responsible to the people of the country. But everyone is afraid of the current situation in the political arena of Bangladesh. We do not want to see this situation. So there is a need for dialogue to resolve any crisis in the country. And the government has to make arrangements for it.
BSP joint general secretary Md Aslam Hossain said why the current political violence is happening. The reason for this is that when the demands of the common people do not match with the development, there is a movement. In our country, the government is at the top and the opposition is at the ground. There is no balance at all. So we politicians should eliminate this crisis. Both parties should adopt a middle approach.
Shaikh Azmain Asrar said, it is not right to do anything outside the constitution. But if the present government is really developing then they should open the field. People will decide. Because our economy is being destroyed due to political violence. It is never earned.
Chairman of Liberal Islamic Alliance and Bangladesh Supreme Party Shahzada Dr. Syed Saifuddin Ahmad Maizbhandari chaired the round table discussion.
Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jot Chairman and Liberal Islamic Jot Executive Chairman Michabahur Rahman Chowdhury, Bangladesh Ashiqeen Auliya Oikya Parishad Chairman Alam Noori Al Sureshwari, Bangladesh Jandal (BJD) Chairman Mahbubur Rahman Joy Chowdhury, Krishak Sramik Party Chairman Farahnaz Haque Chowdhury, National Awami Party (NAP Bhasani) Chairman Hasrat Khan Bhasani, Bangladesh Supreme Party Vice Chairman Fazlul Haque Akand, Maulana Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan, Secretary General Abdul Aziz Sarkar, Bangladesh Jandal (BJD) Vice Chairman Mokhlesur Rahman, Krishak Sramik Party Vice Chairman Advocate Salim Chowdhury, BJD Secretary General Salim, Ashiqeen Auliya Oikya Parishad Secretary General Maulana Hanif Noori, Ahmed, Adv. Shah Alam Abhi, Mufti Borhan Uddin Aziji, Shaikh Azmain Asrar, BSP Joint Secretary General Md Aslam Hossain etc.