BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called upon political parties to centre all political activities around parliament instead of continuing street movements.
He made the call while speaking at a conference organised by Bangladesh Water Development Board Nationalist Workers and Employees Union at the WASA Bhaban Multipurpose Hall on Green Road in the capital on Saturday.
Politics in a parliamentary democracy must evolve through institutions, not prolonged confrontations on the streets. parliament must become the focal point of national politics if democratic culture is to take root, he added.
“Political parties must take responsibility and work towards a free and fair election that leads to a functional parliament. Without shifting activities to parliament, parliamentary democracy will not function,” he said.
The BNP leader said countries where parliamentary democracy has flourished made parliament the centre of decision-making, and Bangladesh must follow the same path.
Referring to the July Charter signed by major political parties, he said it has opened a historic opportunity to institutionalise reforms, make politics more transparent and strengthen democratic institutions.
Fakhrul urged all parties to join the upcoming election process and set aside minor differences to ensure a meaningful contest that leads to a representative parliament. “We have been on the streets for 50 years. It is time to take that struggle inside parliament,” he said.
The BNP secretary general also commented on the recent clashes between students and police near the parliament area, calling it an “unfortunate incident” that does not help democratic progress.
He said the interim government has taken several positive steps and should be supported in stabilising the situation during the transition.
He said no government can undo 15 years of mismanagement in one year but stressed that a responsible parliament can gradually correct distortions and restore public trust.
He expressed support for the demands of the workers of the Water Development Board and said BNP stands by the labour community.
