Eminent personality Farhad Mazhar on Tuesday criticised the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus for adhering to the Constitution of the ousted regime and relying on the existing bureaucracy after the mass uprising.
He accused the government of attempting to run the state and organise elections without first ensuring its legitimacy, saying, “Running the state is not like running Grameen Bank.”
He made the remarks while addressing a discussion titled “Fascist State System and Elections” organised by the Center for Democracy and Peace Studies at the Jatiya Press Club.
Pointing at Yunus, Mazhar said, “You are supposed to uphold the Constitution. But does the Constitution anywhere mention an Advisory Council government? In which article? You are an illegal government.
“I have said from day one, you are an illegal government. But calling you illegal does not mean we do not want you. It means your first task should be to establish legitimacy.”
Mazhar argued that the first priority after the uprising should have been to dismantle the fascist state system. “Many have become martyrs in this uprising, and many have been left disabled. After such great sacrifice, on what basis have you begun talking about elections?” he asked.
Expressing doubts about the possibility of a successful vote, he said, “I see no signs of a successful election. On what basis are you holding elections? Do not plunge the country into disaster. The decline in your popularity is dangerous for us. We are deeply concerned.”
The political thinker went on to say that there are no genuine political parties in Bangladesh.
“Political parties are those who serve the people, who guide the nation, who bring new ideas. What we have is a class of looters and corrupt individuals. You have spoken with them, but you have not spoken to the people,” he said.
Criticising the creation of the National Consensus Commission, he added, “Try to understand the country’s problems. Who asked you to form this Commission? We never asked for a consensus.
“We staged the uprising and formed a government. We never told you to form an advisory government under Sheikh Hasina’s fascist Constitution. Why did you form it, and what was the logic behind it?”
Hinting further at the chief adviser, Mazhar remarked, “You have appointed some young people in the ministry. I congratulate you; it was a good step. But they failed to manage the ministries. You have ruined the young people, created divisions among them.
“This is because you kept the bureaucracy intact. Sheikh Hasina’s bureaucracy remains in place.”
