Capt. Iqbal Hossain (retd.)

What is the problem with BNP, if there is one?

People are asking ‘why the BNP party is so keen to hold early elections a.s.a.p' …  and so am I.

In the past few months, they’ve devoted considerable time and effort campaigning to get elections held as quickly as last month. And the majorities of people (except BNP supporters, I would imagine) not only disagree, but also are wondering why it is so keen.

Are we in Bangladesh witnessing similar to what we see happening under President Trump in the USA? DOGE and Elon Musk have uncovered BILLIONS of dollars in fraud and wrong doings in a short space of time, unprecedented throughout the history of the nation, the likes of which never before seen.

It’s crystal clear the Democratic Party is the culprit and is doing EVERYTHING imaginable, including acting totally stupid, to try and prevent Trump’s investigations from progressing any further, and going deep below the tip of the iceberg already uncovered.

The question people are asking here is, why is BNP acting similarly to America’s Democratic Party? Some say there’s a strong possibility the ACC investigative team would uncover embarrassing facts that would not make them look as pure as the patriotic  ‘squeaky-clean good boy’ image they’re tying to project and catch some of their members in their net. How embarrassing that would be.

We know the last Awami League regime were the inventors of corruption, shamelessly filling their pockets at every opportunity at the expense of the struggling deprived, poor, and hungry.

It is rumoured that as soon as Awami League had abandoned their nefarious extortion rackets, the BNP moved in, took over, and it was despicable business as usual, but under different management, so say some of the stallholders and miscellaneous small businesses.

As a long-established BNP supporter, I hope it is untrue, that it’s a mere rumour, and it will be properly addressed and rectified by the high-ups in the party.

There is no gain for Bangladesh to have another crooked government take over where the last one left off, irrespective of its name. The days of making promises are over. Bangladesh is built on a history of broken promises.  It’s now time to deliver and prevent further erosion and deaths.

Democracy has become a mere catchword that looks good in print and is pleasant on the ears. When is the last time – if ever – the immortal words spoken at Gettysburg by the late President Abraham Lincoln that embodies democracy, last permeated the Bangladesh air? “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”.

When? When? When?

Even if it did, there’s no evidence of any action ever been taken. It would be in BNP’s best interest not to pursue an early election and allow the cleansing operation of the Interim Government to continue or people will think BNP has something to hide.

Thanks to the wonderful noble heroes who participated in the August 2024 uprising (many of whom gave their lives) we have a rare opportunity to erase all the scurrilous, shameful, wrongdoings of the past – irrespective who was responsible – and rewriting the history of Bangladesh on a clean slate, thanks to Professor Yunus and his Interim Government.

Cast aside any moves for an early election, thoroughly clean the system first and do not worry about whose toes you thread upon…. for the greater benefit of the nation

Capt. Iqbal Hossain (retd)