Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said with the support of the people, BNP wants to see that the country will be run through a "national government" system while a bicameral parliament system will be incorporated in the constitution in future.
“An opportunity had been lost without using the strength of national unity just after independence. We don’t want to lose that opportunity again in future,” he said.
“With the support of the people, BNP wants to see that the country will be run through the national government in the future,” Tarique Rahman told a virtual view-exchange meeting with grassroots leaders and workers of the party’s Dhaka division.
BNP's National Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, and Goyeshwar Chandra Roy were present at the program.
Regarding the liberation war, Tarique Rahman said: "Our predecessors gave us an independent country through their struggle. The key strength in winning that battle was unquestionable national unity. Unfortunately, after independence, we failed to leverage that unity. Instead of a necessary national government, the ruling Awami League's party government took power from the very beginning, dividing the country. Consequently, a significant portion of the population could not contribute to nation-building."
He continued: "We have seen how a party-based government allows members of one party to dominate everywhere, marginalizing others. This results in the deprivation of a vast population from essential services. Those who have participated in the struggle for democracy and voting rights will be involved in governing the country in the future, ensuring that the nation benefits from their contributions."
Tarique Rahman also outlined another crucial reform plan.
"We believe the public should be aware of our important reform proposal. Many knowledgeable individuals, including educators, artists, journalists, researchers, doctors, technical experts, and humanitarian workers, who are not traditionally involved in politics but wish to contribute to the country's development and governance, are currently unable to serve as members of parliament under the existing constitutional framework. BNP advocates for a bicameral parliamentary system with an upper chamber, similar to many countries, to utilize their services and contributions."
He added: "I can only share our future plans and intentions because we know that only the support of the people can help us implement them."
Tarique Rahman expressed hope that the public would not want to include in the national government those who have turned the entire country into personal property for a single party and family.
He criticized those who, under the guise of development, have imposed a heavy debt burden on every citizen, siphoned off vast sums of money abroad, and amassed enormous wealth while causing immense suffering through abductions, killings, and legal harassment.
He also condemned the rise in the prices of essential goods and the destruction of all pillars of the state, including law, justice, and executive branches.
He concluded that even in their final moments before fleeing, they stained every district and upazila in the capital with the blood of innocent people. The public will surely not want such tyrants in the national government.