Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Barrister Sara Hossain has welcomed the formation of the new government following the 13th parliamentary election, noting that the cabinet reflects a “kind of diversity.”
She recalled that the ninth parliamentary polls in 2008 saw massive voter turnout, while the following three elections were widely questioned. She said, “This time the 13th national election drew significant public interest.”
Speaking at a dialogue organised by New York–based Bangla media outlet Thikana, she added, “Those against whom allegations existed during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government have not been made ministers this time. Conversely, those who performed responsibly back then have been retained.”
“At the same time, many new faces have been included in the cabinet who had never held responsibility before. A government formed with different generations, this is indeed a good sign,” she added.
The dialogue, titled “Dateline Dhaka: What kind of government did we get”, was held at 12:30pm Wednesday Bangladesh time (1:30am New York time). It was broadcast live from Dhaka on all Thikana YouTube channels and Facebook pages.
Other guests included Advocate Hasnat Kaiyum, chief coordinator of the State Reform Movement; media personality Kazi Jesin; Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir; Chattogram-7 MP and BNP executive committee member Humam Quader Chowdhury; and Abdul Hannan Masud, MP for Noakhali-6 and senior joint chief coordinator of the NCP. The session was moderated by Thikana TV’s editor-in-chief Khaled Muhiuddin.
Oath of Constitutional Reform Council: Why BNP reluctant?
BNP candidates who won a landslide victory in the election took oath as members of parliament on Tuesday. However, they did not take oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. Jamaat and NCP winners took oath for both positions.
Advocate Hasnat Kaiyum criticised BNP’s stance, saying, “Everyone knew there would be a referendum and a Constitutional Reform Council. Laws were properly enacted for these. BNP is a signatory to the July National Charter. They cannot now claim ignorance about the oath.”
BNP MP Humam Quader Chowdhury disagreed, saying, “Taking another oath after being sworn in as MPs would have amounted to violating the Constitution. To uphold constitutional dignity, BNP MPs did not take oath as members of the Council.”
NCP lawmaker Abdul Hannan Masud alleged that BNP suddenly informed other parties of its decision not to take the oath. He said, “If Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had earlier told opposition leaders that after inclusion in the Constitution all parties should take the second oath together, no one would have disagreed.”
“BNP, after winning an absolute majority, is now shifting its position. If they now claim the referendum is unconstitutional, other parties will have no choice. In fact, if one insists on constitutional and legal arguments, the July uprising itself becomes unconstitutional,” he added.
FM Khalilur Rahman: What’s reason behind his appointment?
Khalilur Rahman, who served as national security adviser in the interim government, has been appointed Foreign Minister in the BNP government. Guests described this as a major surprise, since BNP leaders had once demanded his resignation.
Asked why the opposite decision was taken now, BNP executive committee member Humam Quader Chowdhury said, “Politics is never static. At first it seemed one way, but later Dr Khalil proved his worth in foreign relations. During the interim government, he demonstrated diplomacy with the US, India, and China.”
Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir said, “Dr Khalil has many professional achievements. He may have proven his competence during the interim government, while also maintaining communication with BNP. That earned him a place in the new cabinet.”
Media personality Kazi Jesin said, “The interim government operated in abnormal circumstances, which have not fully ended. The July Charter implementation remains. Dr Khalil played a role in past diplomatic negotiations. BNP does not want to shoulder those challenges directly, so they appointed him.”
The challenges ahead
The interim government focused on state reform, but investment conditions were poor and internal security fragile. BNP must work to improve these, said Kazi Jesin.
He added, “Under the Yunus government, journalists were not directly threatened, nor was there heavy state surveillance. But online mobs were mobilized to silence journalists. Bot networks were active. If this persists, we will not know the genuine opinions of ordinary people. We must move beyond this.”
From the perspective of expectations, Advocate Hasnat Kaiyum of the State Reform Movement said, “What people want is not to be oppressed by law. I hope the new government fulfills this aspiration.”
He noted, “If BNP stops looting, extortion, and land-grabbing driven by political power from the outset, people will be satisfied. This government can go far.”
