Photo: Collected
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said that reforms and elections are not mutually exclusive, as both can progress parallel without hindrance. "There's no conflict between reforms and elections. The reforms will continue, and so will the elections," he said while speaking to reporters after paying tribute to Ziaur Rahman on the occasion of his 89th birth anniversary.
He said the party that wins the election and forms the government will carry forward the reforms. "We can say it clearly, on behalf of our party, that we will take forward every reform (if we form the government)," the BNP leader assured.
Sought remarks on the submitted reports of the four reform commissions, Fakhrul declined to comment as their party has not yet received the reports. He also mentioned that the government has said it will hold discussions with political parties after receiving the reports and would then make a decision on the reform proposals.
The BNP Secretary General, however, said no reform proposal will be accepted without consensus.
"On this day, we pray for stronger unity among all people and hope that we can soon return to democracy through an election, establishing a proper democratic system," he said.
Earlier, Fakhrul along with BNP leaders and activists paid homage to its founder and former President Ziaur Rahman, marking his birth anniversary.
Thousands of BNP leaders and activists, led by Fakhrul, placed wreaths at Zia's Sher-e-Banglanagar grave around 11:15am. They later offered fateha following a special munajat seeking salvation of the departed soul of Zia.
BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Vice Chairman Ahmed Azam Khan, Chairperson's Advisory Council Members Amanullah Aman, Zainul Abedin Farroque, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, central leaders Khairul Kabir Khokon, Abdus Salam, Kamruzzaman Ratan, Mir Sarafat Ali, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Saiful Alam Nirab, Dr Rafiqul Islam, Amirulzzaman Khan Shimul, Dhaka north city unit president Aminul Haque and south city unit president Rafiqul Alam Mojnu were, among others, present.
Leaders and activists of BNP's different units and associate bodies also placed wreaths at Zia's grave.
Messenger/JRTarek
