The interim government is disregarding everything necessary for a democratic transition, pushing the country towards uncertainty, BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Monday.
Speaking at a dialogue titled “Policy Reforms and the Upcoming National Budget” at a hotel in Gulshan, Khasru, a former commerce minister, said that under such circumstances, neither the national budget nor any economic policy can yield results.
The event’s chief guest was Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, while the keynote paper was presented by Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
Khasru said: “It is the government's primary responsibility to take necessary steps to lead Bangladesh towards democratic transformation.”
“Right now, people are uncertain about where we are headed, what the future holds for Bangladesh, how long this government will remain, when the election will be held, and what will happen afterwards. There is no assurance on any of these issues.”
He criticized the budget being prepared based on a questionable GDP, saying: “This is essentially a continuation of the fascist regime’s previous budgets. Nothing has been done differently.”
He added: “We must question how much the current economic and global context has been considered in the budget-making process.”
Addressing the issue of a humanitarian corridor with Myanmar, Khasru called it a politically sensitive matter.
He questioned how the interim government could make such a decision without consulting stakeholders.
Referring to long-standing demands for fair elections, he said: “People have been making sacrifices for 14-15 years to restore democracy through elections. There was a movement as recently as last July. Yet now the interim government is doing everything except preparing for elections.”
He also remarked that business and commerce in Bangladesh are excessively regulated.
“Compared to other countries, there is far more control in Bangladesh. We have seen plundering occur under the guise of regulation. The more control you impose, the more looting happens. We must move away from this,” he said.
Offering a vision for the future economic model of Bangladesh, he added: “Our slogan should be: 'We are open for business.' That is how the country should move forward economically.”
Khasru said: “We must be tolerant. Even if we disagree with someone, we should show respect for their path. Without political change alongside economic reform, we will not progress. Therefore, we must move away from confrontational politics.”
