Global communities have mentioned the struggles of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman for restoring democracy in Bangladesh, according to an advisory committee member of the party which out of power for over seventeen years.

“We have seen reactions from the international community when  25 thousand of our leaders and activists were arrested before controversial elections. Global communities have expressed their empathy with the struggling of BNP leadership including Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman for democracy in Bangladesh. They want a ‘regime change’ in Bangladesh,” Barrister Abu Sayem, a member of the foreign affairs advisory committee at BNP, told the Mirror Asia during an interview recently.

He mentioned that international quarters have been advocating for restoring democracy in Bangladesh on backdrop of decade-long struggle of BNP for reinstating voting rights of people. “The global leaders have raised voice against a deteriorating democracy in Bangladesh. They want improvement in human rights situation of the South Asian country. International arena wants a change in Bangladesh. For this, BNP deserves credit for continuing sacrifices for voting rights of people amid oppression of ruling Awami League using state-machinery,” added Sayem.

The discussion began with a question regarding the political stance of BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) now. Barrister Sayem replied that the party believes in power of people to restore democracy and voting rights of people.

“People have shown support to the recent rallies of BNP standing against the oppression of Awami League-led government. They want to get back their voting rights. Awami League conducted one-party dummy elections on a row using loyal administration and forces. People have responded to the call from BNP to boycott the ‘selection’ of seat sharing in prescribed manner,” he said.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman had called upon the people for not to go polling station on January 7 election and democracy lover people responded spontaneously. “People has denied the one-party election. They didn’t go polling station. Less than five percent votes casted on the January 7 election. That is a success of BNP’s stance to boycott the prescribed election. People deserve regime change for making the state-organs more accountable,” added Sayem.

BNP has been conducting movements for decades to restore the rule of law in the country as per people's expectations, what the people think - to overthrow the undemocratic government and bring back their voting rights - the fight has to be accelerated, according to the leader of nationalist force of Bangladesh. Barrister Sayem thinks there are different forms of movement and movement may vary as per requirement.

“As a pro-people political party, BNP will carry out a systematic movement with the people. BNP will not do anything that goes against the interests of the people of the country. We observe that people have developed resistance against an unconstitutional government. When the results come in real time, people welcome it. I think, the way BNP is moving is in line with the demands of the times,” said Barrister Sayem, a human rights defender of Bangladesh.

BNP has taken all decision in coordination of chairperson's advisory council and other policy makers at different stage including vice-presidents and presidium members, according to the leader. “When BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was directly with the movement, we succeeded in her prudent role in cooperation of advisors and policy makers. Now, Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman leads BNP. He develops policy in consent of advisory council, vice chairman, standing committee members, executive committee and every level of the party for inclusive decision making,” added Barrister Sayem.

Regarding the international relations, Sayem tried to differentiate the overseas committee formation and diplomacy with super powers of the world. He said European Union rejected the January 7 election in its March report claiming the polls a ‘seat sharing game’ rather than a participatory polls.

He said that BNP has been in the field for the last seventeen and a half years. “If someone says BNP has no international friends, then the information we have does not match. From 2007 until now, whenever the international community has talked about Bangladesh's democracy, rule of law, they have got BNP as the biggest stakeholder,” added the BNP leader.

“Whenever the European delegation came to Dhaka, they sat with the BNP, talked about democracy. I do not agree with the fact that the BNP is agitating for the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh, which does not have the support of the international community,”

Sayem further mentioned that UN Secretary General António Guterres has criticised the human rights situation in Bangladesh while the head of the European Union's foreign affairs Josep Borrell spoke on the issue. “Even other countries, including the UK, have spoken against this government, regarding human rights violations. In the international arena, not only Bangladesh, but the limitations of Indian democracy are also discussed in the European Union. In other countries where there is no democracy, the United Kingdom, the United States and the United Nations are working to bring back democracy,” he said.

He added that BNP is the largest political party in Bangladesh and the party has had to move forward with people mandate overcoming all oppression by the Awami League-led government. “It (change) will continue according to the demands of the movement of BNP, the expectations of the leaders and workers. Everyone is contributing organizationally. Someone is going from the editorial board to the advisory board. But the importance of his work is not changing. A BNP leader who believes in Bangladeshi nationalism didn’t join hands with the Awami League-led government over decades,” he explained.

Hundreds of thousand people gathered in Dhaka on the call of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on October 28 last year.
“If Bangladesh run a credible election, more than ninety percent of the people will support Tariq Rahman. So that Awami League and their privileged administration have fear to hold fair elections. Tarique Rahman believes that BNP's strength is the people; BNP does not think of coming to power by relying elsewhere,” added Sayem.

Regarding the diplomacy and international relations, BNP approached in planned manner to gain support for restoring democracy in Bangladesh.

“The United States has criticized Bangladesh in their latest report, the UK and European Union also criticised the one-party election. BBC endorsed the ruling government as ‘one-woman show’ in Bangladesh.  International quarters are moving in favour of BNP in honour to struggling of Tarique Rahman for Bangladesh democracy, explained Sayem focusing on diplomatic approach of the major opposition party in Bangladesh.

Many Bangladeshis are working from backend to accelerate international relations of BNP without holding party positions, according to the central leader. Regarding the fabricated cases against Tarique Rahman, Barrister Sayem claimed that all the allegations has been refuted and his integrity has been proved in the court as well.

“He didn’t commit any corruption. A judge had to leave the country for not ruling on baseless charges against Tarique Rahman. The judge admitted the issue. As the negative branding of Awami League government against the democratic leader has been foiled due to his honesty. An anti-state group with their foreign ally tried to tarnish the image of Tarique Rahman since 2001, however, they hardly success on in the approach for over decades,” Sayem concluded the conversation.