The twelfth national parliamentary election of Bangladesh is cheduled to be held on January 7, 2024. In the meantime, the government parties and their alliances are preparing to participate in the elections in 300 seats of the country. The nomination deadline was yesterday. As a result, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) non-participation in the elections is all but confirmed. They aim to intensify protests in the field for their one-point demand to hold fair polls under a neutral caretaker government.
Three political leaders from Netrokona-3 constituency commented on the third episode of the TV show “Election Debate,” organized by Dhaka Tribune. Iftiquar Uddin Talukder Pintu, Former MP of Bangladesh Awami League; Md Nazmul Hasan, Assistant Secretary General, Zia Porishad, and Former Adviser, Netrakona District BNP; and Md Abul Hossen Talukder, Organizing Secretary of Netrakona district Jatiya Party, were present. The
program was moderated by Dhaka Tribune Executive Editor Reaz Ahmad.
The program aired on Channel 24 TV yesterday, where the leaders from Bangladesh Awami League, the main opposition BNP, and the current opposition in Parliament, Jatiya Party, expressed their views on the political situation, current goals, the global situation, economic challenges, and their plans for the Netrokona-3 Constitution. Additionally, the respective parties discussed their political differences, freedom of expression, and the party’s commitment to anti-corruption.
BNP leader Md Nazmul Hasan said: “If BNP participated in the election and came to power with their grand plan, it would deal with the economic challenges of the post-election Government of Bangladesh in the current global situation.”
In this grand plan, they aim to keep fuel oil prices in line with the international market, provide encouragement to “remittance fighters”, implement an incentive system, improve reserves, deal with the dollar crisis, stop delinquent debt irregularities, improve the standard of living, and make the price of goods affordable.
He also emphasized the development of medium industries.
Commenting on the plan for socio-economic development of the Netrokona area, he mentioned that agricultural products and food grains are abundant in this area, but conservation initiatives are not significant.
“If unemployment is reduced and employment is arranged, poverty will be eradicated, economic wheels will be in motion, and the crisis will be reduced. If the food warehouse and cold storage increase in Netrakona, income will also come by keeping the products in reserve and exporting them abroad. Along with that, new employment will increase. Further improvement is possible here if the automatic rice miller is also increased,” he said.
The “Ek Bari Ek Khamar” (one house, one farm) strategy will help alleviate poverty in villages, he added.
AL leader Iftiquar Uddin Talukder Pintu said: “We will face economic challenges with the returns we have invested. We are not worried about the country’s economy. We are optimistic about the mega projects; our returns have started coming. We are creating a source of income. No matter which party comes to power now, the economic condition of Bangladesh is better than any other country.”
He added that the government has already undertaken various plans centred on Netrakona, including medical colleges, universities, economic zones, and stadiums. The popular Jam potato conservation initiative in Netrakona is also ongoing.
However, JP leader Md Abul Hossen Talukder thinks that it will be difficult to face the economic challenges in the coming days.
He said: “If the government is formed through a fair and neutral election, all parties can collectively tackle the economic crisis.”
He also mentioned that to improve Netrakona, their party has given utmost importance to agricultural training.
BNP leader M Nazmul Hasan described the corruption situation in Bangladesh and said: “The BNP government will first repeal the provisions of the Digital Security Act to establish freedom of expression and freedom of the media. And we will create a media commission. Also, we have zero tolerance for corruption. We will add anti-corruption clauses in educational institutions, and the country will take efforts to prevent corruption by ensuring the punishment of the corrupt.”
AL leader Iftiquar Uddin Talukder Pintu said: “The Awami League government is not condoning corruption. Within the next 6-7 months, the digitalization of everything will progress, and Bangladesh will make major strides in eradicating corruption. No one will have the opportunity to go beyond
the scope of the law.”
JP leader Md Abul Hossen Talukder claimed that both the BNP and the Awami governments have championed corruption while in power, whereas the Jatiya Party has no corruption.
THREE DEBATE PARTICIPANTS OF NETROKONA-3 CONSTITUENCY
Assistant Secretary General of Zia Porishad, Vice President of Zia Monch Central Committee and Formar Advisor of Netrokona Zilla BNP Rotarian Md Nazmul Hasan has said, "If a fair election environment was created, BNP would participate in the election and come to power with their grand plan, which would address the economic challenges of the post-election Government of Bangladesh. Also, we have zero tolerance for corruption. We would add anti corruption clauses in educational institutions, and the country would make efforts to prevent corruption by ensuring the punishment of the corrupt. The BNP government would first repeal the provisions of the Digital Security Act to establish freedom of expression and freedom of the media."
Former MP of Netrokona-3 (2014–2018) representing Bangladesh Awami League, Iftiquar Uddin Talukder Pintu has said, "We will face economic challenges with the returns we have invested. We are not worried about the country’s economy. We are optimistic about the mega project; our returns have started coming. If we are talking about freedom of expression, then the number of media outlets permitted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will indicate the current state of freedom of expression in Bangladesh compared to 2008. And within the next 6-7 months, all digitization is taking place, and Bangladesh will make significant progress in eradicating corruption."
Organizational Secretary of Netrokona District Jatiya Party, Md Abul Hossen Talukder has said, "If the government is formed through a fair and neutral election, all parties can collectively tackle the economic crisis. Both the BNP and the Awami government have championed corruption while in power. But the Jatiya Party has no corruption. It will be difficult to face the economic challenges in the coming days. We think that if we want to save a country, we have to save the villages. And for that, the National Party has special importance. To improve Netrakona, our party has given utmost importance to agricultural training.
Eexecutive Editor of Dhaka Tribune, Reaz Ahmad has said, "From Bangladesh’s Netrokona-3 Constituency, BNP, AL, and Jatiya Party will present their party and personal positions, evaluations, political stances, analyses, as well as future commitments to the people. We hope the audience will gain insights from these discussions. At the same time, we hope that they will be able to present their party’s position and values to the general public in terms of their commitment to preventing corruption, addressing political dissent, and ensuring the freedom to express independent opinions in the mass media. Through their discussion, an idea will emerge."
