People did not make sacrifices for a ‘superhuman’
BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury yesterday said people's 16-year-long fight and sacrifices were to restore democracy, not to hand over the country to any "superhuman."
"The struggle was for democracy, restoring the democratic order, reclaiming voting rights, and ensuring people's ownership of the country," he said after holding meetings with leaders of allied parties -- NAP (Bhasani), Amjanatar Dal, and Bangladesh People's Party.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He was responding to a journalist's query about the chief adviser's recent interview with Al Jazeera, where he claimed that the interim government was not facing public pressure to hand over power quickly.
"We have not faced any problem where people are saying, 'hand it over as soon as possible,'" Yunus said.
Questioning the claim, Amir Khasru said, "Who are the people? The BNP, as the main opposition party, represents the people."
"The people of Bangladesh did not struggle, protest, or make sacrifices to hand the country's responsibilities to any superhuman," he said.
"There is no reason to believe the people should wait for a superhuman to solve the country's democratic issues," he added.
Khasru noted that nearly 50 allied parties have demanded that elections be held before December.
He also stressed that agreed-upon reforms must be implemented immediately, urging the Election Commission to set an election date, announce a roadmap, and proceed with preparations.
"If 'people' refers to a privileged group opposing democracy and voting rights, confront them … there should be no confusion," Khasru added.
He expressed hope that the chief adviser would honour his earlier commitments made during meetings with political parties.
Meanwhile, three BNP associate bodies -- Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Swechchasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal – will hold four seminars and four rallies to empower youth to build a just state, said Jubo Dal President Monayem Munna yesterday at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.
The programmes will run from May 9 to May 28, featuring two-day events in each division -- a seminar on the first day and a mass rally on the second, he added.
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