Awami League is ready to work together with BNP: Hasan Mahmud

Jumbangla Desk: Awami League Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud said that his party is ready to work together with BNP if necessary to "restore democracy" in the country.

Hasan Mahmud

In an interview on London-based 'Channel S' television on Sunday, this former minister of Sheikh Hasina's government said, 'I agree with BNP in many respects.'

However, the former information minister, who criticized BNP and the party's acting chairman Tariq Rahman almost every day in the media, expressed his 'agreement' with the recent statements of those leaders.

He also reacted to the statements of Tariq Rahman and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul regarding the resignation of the President, banning of Chhatra League, burning of Jatiya Party office and reforms.

Hasan Mahmud participated in an interview on London-based 'Channel S' television on Sunday.

To a question, Hasan said, 'We agree with many statements of BNP. We were together with the government of one-eleven but to bring it back to democracy, for the liberation of democracy we protested and democracy came back.

He said, we agree with many of the statements made by BNP Acting Chairman Mr. Tarek Rahman or BNP Secretary General Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Joint General Secretary of Awami League said, especially Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, 'Who are we to ban political parties?'- I agree with this question. Even after banning the Chhatra League on paper, they spoke against it. I agree with their statement. And I fully agree with the statement made by BNP's top leaders, including the Acting Chairman and Secretary General, that the sole aim of the interim government should be to hand over power to the people's representatives through a free, fair, participatory election.

The leader of Awami League said that he also 'applauded' the position of BNP in this regard, starting with the resignation of the President, so that no constitutional crisis is created in the country.

Hasan Mahmud said, we agree with the statement made by BNP after the attack and arson of Jatiya Party office. I attacked a political party by posting it on Facebook, I can't find any statement from the government about burning down the office of that political party.

This Awami League leader said that no government is the last government, it should be remembered; In our case we were not the last government either.

This time the presenter said, 'You did not remember that. Hasan Mahmud

Then the former minister said, many did not think. I always remember. I have always remembered myself. But many did not remember, which is correct. This government is not the last government. Everyone should keep this in mind. They handcuffed the ministers of the previous government, threw eggs, set a terrible example for the future, what happens in the future will have to wait.

After the fall of the government, an Awami League leader faced the media for the first time. Hasan Mahmood also admitted to several mistakes while in government.

Although he is against the banning of political parties, he said to a question about the banning of Jamaat-e-Islami politics at the last minute of the movement, I do not want to say anything in this context today. But I think banning a political party does not make it banned.

Hasan Mahmud said that he
'personally agrees' with the statement made by BNP Acting Chairman Tarek Rahman about making a bicameral parliament in the case of state reforms.

He said Bangladesh needs an upper house. As it is in different countries including India, Pakistan. Through it intellectuals and civil society can be included in the work of the state. There is a large intellectual society in our country, there is a large civil society, they want to contribute to the governance of the state, they can contribute, but they widely feel that they are not given the opportunity and the electoral system in our country favors an ordinary intellectual. Getting selected is difficult. Because, with the amount of time they have to spend in politics and the way politics has become, it is difficult for them to get elected.

He said, if there is such a high chamber through the Electoral College, then we can involve the intellectual class of our country, the civil society of our country there.

In that case many meritorious people will be able to contribute to state work. Acting Chairman of BNP also spoke on this issue. He also spoke for the Upper House.