Many parties think that they have won in the fall of the Awami League government in the students' movement. However, TIB's executive director and head of the anti-corruption commission (ACC) reform committee commented that there is no state reform in the agenda of these parties. Iftekharuzzaman.
He said that everyone is now optimistic about the possibilities that have been created by the students' movement to form a new Bangladesh. However, many of those who think they are victorious after this violent movement, do not even have the thought of reforming the state in their agenda. They still have an agenda to perpetuate or establish discrimination in various ways.
He said this while speaking as the guest of honor at the national consultation meeting on 'Civil Society: Past, Present and Future' on Saturday (October 19). The meeting was organized at Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan of the capital.
CSO Alliance, a coalition of more than three hundred non-governmental development organizations, civic organizations and platforms, women's movements, human rights organizations, social entrepreneurs and researchers working in the country, organized the consultation meeting.
Complaining that the previous government put NGOs under great pressure, Iftekharuzzaman said that domestic and foreign development organizations mainly work to establish good governance, prevent human rights violations and irregularities and corruption. Works for the development of backward communities. But there was a lot of pressure on the NGO and CSO sector in the last 15 years. Bangladesh has to work with various challenges starting from harassment.
He said, the politics of power in Bangladesh, the narrowness that is still there; In that, private organizations have to do developmental work with challenges. When the government came to power, they are considered as our worst enemy. The state did not cooperate. Again filed a false case for harassment.
The Executive Director of TIB said, when the party is out of power again; Went to the opposition, then applauded our action. The history of the last 15 years, but the continuous process is going on there. The reason for their such harshness and generosity is that one party has to stay in power and the other party has to come to power.
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, however, NGOs and CSO sector organizations mainly help the government to do the right thing by highlighting the picture of irregularities and corruption, violation of human rights and lack of good governance. But the previous governments could not understand that. As a result, private development organizations have to be harassed.
Stating that the government had brought changes in the law to keep the foreign development organizations under pressure, the TIB chief said that they had also brought various changes in the law to keep the foreign private development organizations under pressure. Section 43 was added to the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Ordinance in 2016. It is clearly stated in sub-section number 14, if any person or organization makes any hateful and indecent comments about the country's constitution and constitutional institutions, then it will be considered a crime. Through this, organizations have been barred from speaking out about criticism, good governance and human rights.
Iftekharuzzaman complained that the state intelligence force has also been used, saying that the state intelligence agency has also been used to put us under pressure. Clarification has been sought on various issues from time to time. Efforts have been made to prevent foreign financing. Intelligence agencies have been used in the same way to take away civil rights. I am not saying these things to target any individual group, like, organization. I am reminding things for positive change.
Mentioning that the behavior of political parties changes when they come to power, he said, "When a party is in power, it is one way, and if it is out, it is another way. However, the way the students struggle has brought a context in front of us, from that place we are now dreaming of a new Bangladesh. Looking for a way out of narrowness, harassment. In the new Bangladesh, private organizations will continue to strive to provide citizen services. We expect a safe working environment there.
Iftekharuzzaman said that there are still various obstacles in doing developmental work, one of the tasks of the development organizations is to support the backward people. In fact, we are still lagging behind. Those who have worked with reputation for a long time to prevent human rights violations, gender discrimination, racial hatred. Now getting a lot of information, they are not working.
The head of the ACC reform committee said that there are cases of obstacles in working with women's rights and working with religious minorities. In this case, everyone should work together. You have to work more actively. The issues should be highlighted before the interim government. Then those who will come to power through the elections, should show the way so that they can take those values and carry forward the development work.
Rasheda K Chowdhury, Convener of CSO Alliance conducted the program. It was addressed by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser on water resources and forest, environment and climate change, adviser on social welfare and women and children, Sharmin S. Murshid, former caretaker government adviser and BRAC chairperson. Hossain Zillur Rahman, BNP Standing Committee Member and former Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and others.
