Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on the BNP’s Vision for Bangladesh

[ad_1] Following the autumn of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League get together, usually described as “ fascist ,” the Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP) has emerged as the most well-liked and the one largest political get together in Bangladesh. It's extensively anticipated that the BNP will safe a majority of seats within the subsequent parliamentary election.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the senior-most chief of the BNP. He has been serving as the final secretary of the get together since 2016, though he was the appearing basic secretary from 2011. Alamgir was additionally a cupboard member in the course of the BNP’s final tenure in authorities, from 2001 to 2006. He is among the uncommon figures in Bangladeshi politics whose profession started exterior Dhaka however who ultimately rose to a prime place inside the get together.

Since 2011, Alamgir has been main the get together throughout what is taken into account the BNP’s most difficult interval. With the BNP’s appearing chair, Tarique Rahman, presently residing in London, Alamgir is the highest BNP chief actively steering the get together in Bangladesh.

In an interview with The Diplomat, he shared key insights about his get together’s place and addressed a number of urgent points which are presently matters of public debate in Bangladesh.

The interview was carried out by Shahadat Hossain, a analysis scholar within the Division of Worldwide Relations, South Asian College, New Delhi.

Do you contemplate the July Revolution a revolution or a mass rebellion?

Undoubtedly, it was a mass rebellion. For 15 to 16 years, political events, below the management of the BNP, had been preventing to finish the oppression and torture inflicted by the fascist authorities. The motion started with the scholars’ quota reform protests, the place a big variety of college students took to the streets. Tragically, many college students misplaced their lives throughout this era.

Initially, this motion didn't take the type of a mass revolution or rebellion. Nonetheless, the turning level got here with the tragic loss of life of Abu Sayeed [one of the early martyrs of the July Revolution]. His loss of life shocked and united all opposition political events, main them to work collectively to overthrow the federal government, culminating in a united effort that resulted in a mass rebellion.

We view this as the autumn of a brutal fascist regime and the emergence of a brand new alternative to remodel Bangladesh right into a democratic state. The scholars’ calls for primarily centered on ending systemic discrimination, which has been a long-term problem. Addressing this requires nationwide unity and an organized political construction. Due to this fact, we've got emphasised the necessity for nationwide unity and have labored to foster it.

With the interim authorities now in energy, they've begun implementing reform measures, marking the primary steps towards needed change.

You emphasize nationwide unity. Nonetheless, an adviser lately claimed that after Sheikh Hasina fled, the coed management of the motion proposed forming a nationwide authorities, however the BNP refused the proposal. Why did your get together not assist the concept of a nationwide authorities?

I'm unaware of any proposal from the coed management concerning the formation of a nationwide authorities. Nonetheless, after the autumn of the fascist regime, representatives approached us to hunt options for forming an interim authorities. They offered a number of names and sought our opinions, which we supplied accordingly.

Six reform commissions have been established within the nation, together with one on constitutional reform. How is your get together represented and concerned in these processes?

No representatives from the BNP have been included within the reform committees. These committees have been shaped with out involving political get together affiliations, which is regular [and] in keeping with the interim authorities. Nonetheless, they did search our opinions, and we'll ship our opinion to those commissions.

The BNP is demanding elections and is presently thought to be the most well-liked get together. Nonetheless, critics argue that the BNP may change into one other “Awami League” if it involves energy, particularly since experiences counsel that many grassroots BNP leaders and activists have been concerned in occupation and looting after August 5.

That is nothing greater than unfavorable propaganda unfold by anti-BNP media and opposing political events. Such incidents should not unusual following mass uprisings. We don't deny the incidents which have taken place in several elements of the nation.

Nonetheless, the BNP has taken vital steps to handle these points. So far, we've got expelled roughly 700 leaders and activists who have been discovered to be concerned in such actions. We're dedicated to sustaining self-discipline and accountability inside the get together to make sure we uphold democratic values and public belief.

The Awami League all the time claims that minority Hindus should not secure below different events. After August 5, assaults on minorities occurred. You can not dismiss all of them as political assaults. Doesn’t this reinforce the Awami League’s declare?

Sure, sure incidents should have occurred. Quite a few Awami League members who dedicated injustices, engaged in torture, and looted have been focused by peculiar individuals throughout the nation — not by the BNP or college students. These assaults have been pushed by 18 years of humiliation, deprivation, and anger.

Nonetheless, the narrative has been intentionally twisted to painting these incidents as acts of minority oppression. Some people are spreading propaganda claiming that “communalism has intensified in Bangladesh,” which undermines the nation’s pursuits. That is completely politically motivated and an try and hurt Bangladesh’s picture.

This propaganda is being orchestrated by the Awami League to current a story to the worldwide group that communalism is on the rise within the nation. Their obvious purpose is to safe assist from India and different allies by portraying themselves as the one get together able to successfully addressing this problem.

Paradoxically, incidents of minority oppression considerably elevated in the course of the Awami League’s tenure.

You intention to come back to energy, and public opinion appears to be leaning in your favor. What's going to the BNP’s overseas coverage appear to be? The final time your get together was in energy, Bangladesh pursued a Look East coverage. Can we anticipate any surprises this time?

Our overseas coverage is straightforward: we would like pals, not masters. We'll deal with all international locations as pals, not as superiors. Nonetheless, we is not going to enable ourselves to change into overly depending on any state. In right this moment’s interconnected world, connectivity, enterprise, and friendships are important, however we'll guarantee our self-reliance.

India is a serious neighboring nation. Your get together’s relations with India have all the time skilled ups and downs. Regardless of efforts over the previous decade, you didn't open new avenues on this relationship. How do you consider BNP relations with India going ahead?

Now we have all the time believed in fostering good relations with our neighboring international locations. It is a core a part of our declared coverage. Because the time of Ziaur Rahman, after we have been in energy, we had persistently labored to take care of optimistic relations with India. Nonetheless, our nationwide pursuits have to be prioritized.

Points like water distribution have to be resolved. Killings on the border have to be stopped. Equality in connectivity have to be ensured. Advantages taken from us have to be reciprocated.

Moreover, India’s pointless interference in Bangladesh’s politics is rarely acceptable. We hope that such interference will stop. Selections concerning Bangladesh can be made solely by the individuals of Bangladesh.

There may be presently a whole lot of disinformation and false narratives concerning the present authorities and Bangladesh being unfold from India. This isn’t new – your get together’s appearing chairman has additionally been vilified within the Indian media. India appears to have a largely unfavorable view of events aside from the Awami League. How can Bangladesh overcome this problem?

The one solution to counter these false narratives is by establishing a powerful, people-powered authorities. Initially, Bangladesh wants a democratically elected management. All political events ought to remember the fact that we're a definite political entity, an unbiased nation able to making our personal selections.

Moreover, Bangladesh should develop a compelling counter-narrative. Correct occasions and info must be successfully communicated by worldwide media to fight disinformation.

Younger persons are discussing the concept of a brand new political settlement. Your get together doesn’t appear very passionate about it. What are your ideas?

What do they imply by a brand new political settlement? They should make clear what they imply by this concept. I need to know: what precisely is their new political settlement? I've not seen something written or documented. I've no concrete understanding of what they suggest.

The type of politics we envision is already documented in our structure. They need to suggest one thing like that if they've a transparent imaginative and prescient.

Not solely your get together, however many others have fought towards fascism. Atypical individuals and college students have sacrificed their lives. Why do you suppose individuals will vote on your get together within the upcoming elections?

The BNP is a celebration of the individuals. It practices the type of politics that aligns with the individuals’s wishes. Folks need freedom; they need to stay in a democratic state system. They aspire to vote, elect their leaders by honest elections, and have the chance to work and prosper. The BNP creates these alternatives.

The BNP has ruled thrice, all the time coming to energy by elections. Throughout its tenure, the BNP undertook basic political reforms. Ziaur Rahman (founding father of the BNP) launched a multi-party system, changing the earlier single-party system. Later, below the management of Begum Khaleda Zia, the caretaker authorities system was integrated into the structure – one other milestone in political innovation.

Economically, the BNP moved away from a flawed socialist mannequin in direction of a combined and numerous financial system, which we now consult with as a free-market financial system. Following this, private-sector financing started, resulting in vital transformations. The garment sector, which now drives our financial system, was initiated below the management of Ziaur Rahman. Even remittances began flowing into the nation because of his initiatives.

Later, throughout Begum Khaleda Zia’s tenure, reforms have been applied in numerous sectors, together with banking. The BNP is a celebration with a confirmed monitor file of addressing the individuals’s issues and fostering improvement. It ensured the independence of the judiciary and the press – foundational pillars of a democratic nation.

You might have noticed Bangladesh’s politics for the 50 years since its independence. The youthful era, a lot of whom have actively participated within the current mass rebellion, may form the nation’s politics for the following 50 years. The place do you see the politics of the brand new era heading?

The younger era is already energetic in politics, each on the streets and in authorities. Representatives of the younger era are current in governance and decision-making. Their major demand seems to be for an anti-discrimination social system. Nonetheless, we've got but to see any formal, documented proposal outlining the adjustments they search.

They continuously consult with current occasions as a revolution. Personally, I don't contemplate this a revolution however quite a student-led mass rebellion and a democratic change. As a liberal democrat, I consider in inclusive politics the place all events have the chance to take part – not unique politics.

The individuals’s choice for a political get together can be decided by elections. That's the reason we strongly advocate for elections to be held as quickly as attainable. Elections will resolve many challenges and debates that persist right this moment. Till then, arguments and debates will proceed.

We initiated reforms two years in the past and stay forward in our efforts, though unfavorable narratives reminiscent of “BNP opposes reforms” or “BNP engages in corruption” are being unfold to undermine us. We're nationalists who firmly consider in democracy, which creates issues for many who choose subjugation over freedom.

Finally, we envision Bangladesh as a democratic nation the place the apply of democracy resolves all points. We need to make sure the precept: “I'll not agree with you, however I'll defend your proper to freedom of speech.”

One other urgent problem is the widespread poverty affecting a big portion of the inhabitants, which requires pressing consideration to their financial improvement.

You usually emphasize that your get together is liberal and democratic. The chairperson of your get together is a girl who has led the get together for a very long time. Nonetheless, girls’s illustration inside your get together stays low, and you haven't met the declared goal of fielding 30 p.c girls candidates. What are your ideas on this?