BM Desk :  The Election Commission was instructed by Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus to finish preparing for the legislative elections by December, for which BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is grateful. It is a very good thing, he said. Liberal democracy is what we embrace. Elections will be held to transfer power. The only government that can rule the nation and address its issues is the one that was elected.

These remarks were made at a discussion about the role of journalists in the July student-public revolt and during a ceremony held Thursday in the National Press Club auditorium to honor the families of journalists who were martyred. Both the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) arranged the event.

“The people of the country have lost their lives for elections and voting rights,” the BNP Secretary General stated, expressing hope that the Election Commission will be able to finish all the work as quickly as possible and organize an acceptable election by providing an electoral atmosphere. In order to ensure that this election is free, fair, and acceptable to everyone, I hope the Election Commission will finish its work (election preparations) as soon as possible and establish an electoral environment. After then, the elections won’t have any more issues.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated during the ceremony that the consensus commission has provided its viewpoint on each matter. Most of the problems have been agreed upon by the BNP. On a number of important matters, the BNP could not agree. A determination regarding on this issue can be taken through debate in parliament in the future.

Citing newspaper reports that the BNP is impeding reforms, the BNP Secretary General stated that his party convened a press conference three days ago and took the matter seriously. “They were born for reforms,” he remarked. It would be unfair to claim that the BNP is impeding changes now.
The BNP Secretary General stated that the government must engage in negotiations with the United States through qualified individuals in relation to the matter of tariffs imposed by the United States. This moment has not yet elapsed.
Mirza Fakhrul stated that there is no reason to treat Pushin lightly in relation to the border killings. The administration must give this careful consideration. The creation of public opinion is necessary.

Regarding the killings on the border and Pushin, Mirza Fakhrul said that there is no opportunity to take Pushin lightly. The government needs to look at this seriously. Public opinion needs to be created. The government should go to the final stage in negotiations with India. Apart from this, the issue of water sharing must be looked at strongly. The issue of water distribution must be ensured. Mirza Fakhrul also said that national unity is needed to protect democratic rights.

The program, which was moderated by DUJ General Secretary Khurshid Alam and chaired by Md. Shahidul Islam, President of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), featured Professor Mia Golam Parwar, the secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami; Mahmudur Rahman Manna, the president of Nagorik Oikya; AZM Zahid Hossain, a member of the BNP Standing Committee; Hasan Hafiz, the president and editor of the daily Kaler Kantho; BFUJ Acting President Obaidur Rahman Shaheen; Secretary General Quader Gani Chowdhury; Abdul Hai Sikder, the editor of the Daily Jugantor; Syed Abdal Rahman, the executive editor of the daily Amar Desh; and Ilias Khan, the former general secretary of the National Press Club.