BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed. File Photo

DHAKA, Jan 24, 2025 (BSS) – BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed today urged the interim government to hold elections quickly to ensure usual trend of democracy.  

“Why they (the government) are dillydallying on the election issue? Reforms are an ongoing process that can continue for ages. New reforms can be made for various reasons. In this regard, why should the process and normalcy of democracy be stopped?" he raised the question towards the government. 

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while replying to the questions of journalists after visiting the grave of Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP) founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, in the capital's Banani area marking  the 10th death anniversary of Koko.

Noting that the interim government is the outcome of the democratic movement, he said democracy allows discussion and criticism in light of the existing situation. 

"Those who have faith in democracy will accept both discussion and criticism, considering the context,' he added.

Referring to the words of the fallen fascist Sheikh Hasina which is ‘development comes first, then elections’, Rizvi said the issue like ‘reforms come first, then elections’ sounds like Sheikh Hasina’s those words.

"I am hearing that various people from within the government are trying to form political parties. And, if advisors form parties, then the government's impartiality will be made questionable to public," he said.

"We see that since the formation of the interim government, some advisors have been making statements openly and privately expressing very negative views towards BNP. It is not desirable,” he added.

Highlighting the importance of holding a free and fair election, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said the people of the country have waited, fought and sacrificed their lives for democracy in the last 16 years.

"Why so much hesitation and delay in holding those free and fair elections?" he raised the question and said there is no injustice in raising such question by the people.

The senior leader of BNP also said that the interim government has been established in the wake of the movement with the support of all democratic political parties in the country.

The people of the country have the expectation that the government will perform its duties impartially and take pragmatic steps to strengthen democracy, he added.

He believed that it is not appropriate to hear the words like 'reforms first, elections later' from any adviser to the interim government as those words somehow echoed Sheikh Hasina's words.

"You cannot criticize the increase in the prices of daily necessities in the market. If the government's administration does not work impartially, then why can't you criticize it? Then why is it said that 1/11 may be repeated! Do advisors want to teach politics to wise people of the country?" he asked.

Mentioning that 70 percent of the officials in the administration are still cohorts of Awami League even after the fascist government's downfall, the BNP senior joint secretary general said that those friends of fascist government are responsible for price hike of goods and the inefficiency in controlling the law and order in the country.

BNP leaders Saiful Alam Nirob, Aminul Haque and SM Jahangir Hossain were present, among others, on the occasion.