BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has expressed disappointment over Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s recent remarks in Japan, saying that the ongoing crisis in the country stems from issues surrounding the election.
“We trusted Yunus and supported him to come to power. But we are disappointed by the remarks he made in Japan,” Mosharraf said during a discussion meeting at the National Press Club on Sunday, organized to mark the 44th martyrdom anniversary of Ziaur Rahman.
He said: “We are in favour of reforms. Even before the interim government came to power, Tarique Rahman announced a 31-point reform agenda. If we come to power, we will implement those reforms. A national consensus-building dialogue will begin tomorrow (Monday), and we will participate. However, we want all political parties to agree on the reform process and move toward elections.”
He added: “We are disappointed by the statement Yunus made in Japan. He claimed that only the BNP wants elections. But we have tried to explain that holding elections by December would be beneficial in all respects. I hope the chief adviser will not create any further confusion in the country.”
The BNP leader said: “After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman, many said that without him, the BNP would be zero. But Begum Khaleda Zia courageously took the helm of the party and led the country following Ziaur Rahman's ideology.
"Over 16 years, the Awami League government relentlessly persecuted and oppressed Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, and countless BNP leaders and activists in an attempt to wipe out the BNP. But despite such repression, they failed to suppress the BNP.”
He further said: “Some people in the government have privately admitted that if elections are held in December, the BNP will come to power with a two-thirds majority. We recently met with the chief adviser and explained why we want elections by December. We said December is an appropriate time for elections.
"We believe that the longer the election is delayed, the more the illegitimate government will engage in conspiracies. We are already witnessing some of those conspiracies. Therefore, holding elections by December would be best. The interim government will eventually have to step down. We believe that if they do so by December, they can step down with dignity.”
