State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam on Friday urged the opposition to raise its concerns in parliament instead of resorting to long marches or unilateral movements, saying the House offers ample scope for debate and dissent.
“Pointing out the government’s mistakes or even staging a walkout when necessary is part of the beauty of democracy,” he said.
The state minister made the remarks at a press briefing at Shibganj Upazila Parishad in Bogura around 10am on Friday.
He said the next parliamentary session would begin on 9 November, giving opposition lawmakers sufficient opportunities to speak, with the Speaker also ensuring adequate time for them.
The opposition could return to the Parliament after a walkout, he said, adding that its role was clearly defined in the Constitution.
Mir Shahe Alam criticised opposition leaders for not attending the inauguration of the July Memorial at Osmani Udyan in the capital on 19 October, despite receiving invitations.
“Those who spend all day talking about the July-August events and engaging in politics over them have exposed their duplicity by not attending the inauguration despite being invited,” he said.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the memorial, built under a government initiative in memory of those killed during the July-August uprising. Osmani Udyan was also inaugurated on the same day after 10 years, the state minister said.
According to Mir Shahe Alam, Dhaka South City Corporation had invited the presidents and general secretaries of political parties to the event. City Corporation Administrator and freedom fighter Abdus Salam had also confirmed the invitations over the telephone.
The prime minister inaugurated the memorial alongside members of four families of those killed, including the fathers of Mir Mugdho, Abu Sayed and Anas, he said. The memorial contains the names of 834 officially gazetted martyrs.
However, leaders of political parties who regularly speak about the July events were absent from the ceremony, he added.
Responding to remarks by Jamaat-e-Islami’s secretary general, Mir Shahe Alam rejected the argument that opposition leaders had skipped the event because the opposition leader’s name was not included on the invitation card.
He said the names of veteran politician Mahmudur Rahman Manna, national leader Saiful Haque, and BNP Standing Committee member and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed were also absent from the invitation cards.
Nevertheless, the prime minister invited them onto the stage during the ceremony.
Had opposition leaders attended, their representatives would also have been invited onto the stage, he said.
In response to another statement by Jamaat’s secretary general, the state minister said the opposition was receiving “chocolates” for the first time in the country’s history.
He claimed that the BNP had not even been provided with seating arrangements when it was in opposition in the past, whereas the current opposition was enjoying various opportunities and facilities.
He urged opposition leaders to stop what he described as cheap politics after seeking votes by promising people a place in paradise.
Mir Shahe Alam alleged that people had been enticed with promises of paradise before the election, while political leaders danced to the beat of traditional drums during religious festivals. However, he claimed that opposition leaders had not been seen at any Durga Puja pavilion this year after the election.
The state minister also accused the opposition of spreading confusion in the name of a one-point movement.
He said people had seen the consequences of politics centred on a particular religious community or group in the past.
“The BNP does not practise politics by relying on any particular group. Everyone in this country is Bangladeshi. The BNP will once again go to the people by winning everyone’s hearts,” he said.
On the implementation of the July Charter, Mir Shahe Alam said five seats had been kept vacant for opposition representatives on the constitutional amendment committee to ensure that the charter was implemented to the letter. He alleged, however, that the opposition was not cooperating with the committee.
Urging opposition leaders to abandon confrontation and join the committee, he called on them to submit the names of five representatives at any time and play a responsible role in implementing the July Charter.
Mir Shahe Alam also urged opposition leaders not to use indecent language in the name of freedom of speech.
He warned that the nationalist forces would not tolerate such language if its use continued.
On internal party discipline, the state minister said there were also “bots” and covert elements within the BNP and that efforts were underway to identify party members involved in such activities.
Necessary action would be taken against those identified, he said.
After the press briefing, Mir Shahe Alam attended a prize-giving ceremony for talented teachers and students at the Shibganj Upazila Parishad auditorium as the chief guest.
