BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today virtually addressing a pre-iftar event organized by BNP in honor of prominent citizens and professionals at the city’s Ladies Club in Eskaton. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, March 21, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today said cohorts of fugitive dictator Sheikh Hasina cannot be given a chance to be rehabilitated.

“By making a secondary issue a main issue in the country’s political arena, confusions are being created in the anti-fascist national unity without our knowledge. The government should not take any steps that will give the fugitive dictator's cohorts a chance to be rehabilitated in the state and politics,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said make the comments while virtually addressing a pre-iftar event organized by BNP in honor of prominent citizens and professionals at the city’s Ladies Club in Eskaton.

He said friends of the fallen dictatorship still have thousands of crores of taka that they have looted from the state and looted from the pockets of the people.

In such a situation, local government election before the national election means creating an opportunity for the fugitive friends of the dictatorship who are hiding all over the country to rehabilitate themselves in politics, he said.

He said, “During the long decade and a half of mafia rule, none, including about 35 million voters of the young generation, could vote. To ensure the political empowerment of these voters, a national election is needed first of all.”

The acting chairman of BNP also mentioned that no reform will be sustainable if the citizens are not politically empowered.

He said the fugitive dictatorship had almost turned the country’s current constitution into their party constitution by arbitrarily cutting it.

Tarique Rahman said BNP believes that the practical application of democratic political rights and behaviour is more important than bookish or theoretical reforms in democratic politics.

"Only through the democratic practice of the people, reforms can become sustainable, successful and effective,” he said.

Stating that the role and contribution of the country's prominent citizens, including civil society and professionals, in establishing a democratic state is undeniable, the BNP acting chairman said, "Many of good and bad things of the state and politics depend on the patriotism of politicians and the principles of state governance. In this regard, the more active the role of prominent citizens and professionals in the state and society, the more responsible and strong the political government becomes.”

He said, “If we compare politics to the roof of a well-organized house, then most likely civil society and professionals are the pillars of that house. Therefore, in a state, politicians, civil society and professionals complement each other."

Journalist Shafiq Rehman, former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor ASM Faiz, economist Professor Mahbub Ullah, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Joynal Abedin, businessman Salah Uddin Alamgir, Dhaka University teacher Professor Sukomal Barua, actor Ilias Kanchan, editor of Daily Jugantor Abdul Hai Sikder, President of the National Press Club Hasan Hafiz, senior journalists M A Aziz and Syed Abdal Ahmed, among others, spoke on the occasion.   

BSS Managing Director and Chief Editor Mahbub Morshed and Jatiya Press Club General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan and teachers from various universities and colleges, Ulama-Mashaykhs, doctors, engineers, lawyers, agriculturists, journalists and people of various professions participated in the iftar.

BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasur Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Vice Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Abdus Salam Pintu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Chairperson's Advisor AM Abdul Halim, Ismail Zabiullah and other leaders were present at the event.