CHATTOGRAM, Dec 16, 2024 (BSS) - BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury here today said that there was no scope of skipping democracy. 

“There is no scope of skipping democracy as politicians are accountable to the people of the country, who will lead tomorrow’s politics,” he said.  

Amir Khosru, member of the party’s highest policy making body, made the remark while speaking as chief guest at a rally before placing wreath at Revolution Monument in city’s Sholashahar area on occasion of the great Victory Day-2024. 

Chattogram city mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain and Central Organizing Secretary (Ctg division) Mahbuber Rahman Shamim and central assistant Organizing Secretary (Ctg division) Barrister Mir Md Helal Uddin addressed the rally. City BNP convener Ershad Ullah chaired the rally. 

Referring the 31-point reform proposals, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said BNP is committed to implement fully the reform agenda in the future, which was finalized earlier on consensus of 50 political pastries including BNP. 

He said people of the country and future parliament will take decision on what types of and where reforms are required as they did in the past. 

“Country’s first and main freedom fighter was Ziaur Rahman,” he said, adding that Chattogram had played much importance role for nation’s victory in 1971 as Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman ushered the revolution against Pakistani occupation forces from Sholoshahar Revolution Monument by revolting and later proclaiming independence from the then Radio Transmission center at Kalurghat.   

He said it was very unfortunate that the nation is still struggling for restoring democracy even after 53 years of independence. 

“Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman again freed the country from the clutches of BAKSAL and Awami League-led one-party regime that banned all political parties , publications of newspapers, regulated the judiciary, and involved in killing and enforced disappearance of thousands of FFs as well as torturing people,” he said. 

Pointing out to the long history of country’s reforms, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said Shaheed President Zia had first initiated and implemented the reform programmes in the country  by introducing multi-party democracy from one-party rule, then executed free market economy from government regulated economy through which AL plundered public properties and committed unbridled corruption that resulted in famine in 1974. 

He said it was Shaheed Zia who introduced a pragmatic and participatory economic policy that helped flourish RMG industry, which is now considered as main pillar of economy, and exploring the manpower market abroad through which country’s economy has been enjoying huge remittance inflow. 

“Those were the real reform programmes first initiated by BNP’s founder Shaheed Zia and again such programmes had been continued by introducing parliamentary democracy and election under the caretaker government for free and fair election when BNP again assumed power under the leadership of Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia,” he said. 

“Do not try to lecture politicians as they are well aware of required reforms for nation as well as people’s expectation,” Amir Khosru said pointing out that BNP has the long history of carrying out comprehensive and time-befitting reform programmes. 

BNP central labour affairs secretary A M Nazimuddin, central executive committee member Tariqul Islam Tenjing,  Shamsul Alam, city BNP member-secretary Nazimur Rahman and former city BNP general secretary Abul Hashem Bakkar, among others, addressed the gathering. 

Later, a huge victory procession led by Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, paraded the different city areas.