Senior BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Saturday warned that communal forces are gaining strength in the country following the fall of fascism.
Speaking at a discussion titled “July Revolution and the Future Thoughts of Democracy”, organised by the Human Research and Analysis Foundation at the Jatiya Press Club, Gayeshwar said fundamentalist groups are now “selling tickets to heaven.”
“Those whom you call fundamentalists, I also call them fundamentalists. Some parties are telling people that if they stay with them, they will go to heaven, and if not, they will go to hell,” he said. “Yet even they do not know their own fate. We have freed ourselves from fascism, but instead of democratic values, a frenzy of communalism has started, which helps create mobs.”
The BNP standing committee member warned that if the state system does not remain on a democratic path, communalism could become twice as destructive as fascism, ultimately undermining public life.
Gayeshwar emphasised that BNP believes in religious values, but not in using religion to spread hatred. “Religion, whatever faith one follows, is meant to guide people in the right direction. Modern state law and religious teachings both define wrongdoing and the corresponding consequences. There is no conflict between religion and the state system,” he said.
Turning to the interim government, he said the current administration lacks visibility and direction. “Except for a few, no one speaks. Ministries are still being run by the administration left behind by Sheikh Hasina,” he added.
The BNP leader also criticised the state of media and social media, urging that freedom must come with responsibility. “Media freedom does not mean saying anything about anyone. Social media has become a platform where misinformation can mislead society, especially children,” he said.
On democracy, Gayeshwar stressed that people should elect a government through votes and have the chance to change it in the next election if necessary. “This simple path should not be made so difficult,” he said.
He also criticised the proportional representation (PR) system, saying the interim government has turned electoral reforms into superstition. “I don’t understand PR, but I hear it is used in Nepal. It seems you could have one prime minister in the morning, another in the afternoon, and a different one at night,” he quipped.
