Dhaka [Bangladesh], July 16 : The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the largest political parties in the South Asian country, will work with India with friendship in the post-Hasina era, a senior leader of the party said.
"BNP is a party which believes in friendship to all, enemy to none. This is our ideology, which was introduced by former President Shaheed Ziaur Rahman: Friendship to all, enemy to none. India is our big neighbour. So, BNP loves to work with everyone ... with integrity and dignity and with friendship," Kayser Kamal, legal affairs secretary of BNP, told ANI in an interview.
Despite the mutual distrust among political parties in Bangladesh, BNP still believes that the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus will be able to hold free, fair and inclusive elections, a senior BNP leader said on Tuesday.
"Dr Muhammad Yunus is running the government in support of all political parties. After August 5, when Hasina fled the country, all political parties reached a consensus and requested him to join the government as head of the executive. Therefore, we can presume that the political parties, including BNP, have confidence in him that he will conduct an election which will be credible, participatory, and inclusive," he said.
"At the same time, Dr Yunus categorically stated many times that this upcoming election will be an example for the country. Therefore, we firmly believe he can conduct an election which will be free, fair and credible," Kamal added.
BNP's legal affairs secretary also said that his party believes in a multi-party system despite the ban on Awami League activities by the executive decision of the interim government.
"Actually, Awami League activity is currently postponed. Awami League is not banned as far as I know. Their activity is currently postponed. It is the executive decision. As a political party, BNP always believes in democracy and believes in multiparty in the country," Kamal, a Barrister, said.
Explaining BNP's policy, he said, "As you know, the founder of BNP, Shahid President Ziaur Rahman, established and introduced the multi-party democracy, multi-party government. The father of Sheikh Hasina, while he was in power, made a one-party system. But Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman came into power and introduced multi-party democracy. Therefore, BNP always believes in multi-party democracy".
"However, considering the prevailing situation, the executive took the decision that activities of the Awami League are postponed," he said, without further elaboration.
Regarding Khaleda Zia's health and legal status, Kayser Kamal said, "BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia always is in the heart of BNP. Under her leadership, BNP has grown in such a way that it is not only in the country but also around the subcontinent; BNP is one of the biggest political parties. Her health so far, considering her age and previous diseases and everything - a doctor is in a better position to say about her health."
"Her legal position is quite good. She was unfortunately illegally convicted due to the personal grudge of Sheikh Hasina. After the 5th of August, through the court of law, she is now free. There is no case pending," he added.
BNP leader alleged that Sheikh Hasina ordered the killing of the civilians and urged her to face the trial.
"This is not only BNP; all the people of Bangladesh want Sheikh Hasina to return to Bangladesh and face the charges that were brought against her. Of course, under her leadership, under her direction, I mention Hasina; 2,000 innocent civilians were killed brutally, which was a targeted killing under the direction of Sheikh Hasina. Therefore, she must face the justice in the judicial system and face the allegations brought against her," he said.
"In that view, BNP always wants to prevail in the justice system and believes in the rule of law. Therefore, we want Sheikh Hasina to return back and face the music," he said.
Kayser Kamal believes that Hindus were more vulnerable during the Awami League regime.
"The level of minority atrocities, whatever it is stated, is not the case. When the Awami regime was in power, minorities were rather more vulnerable than now. So, some of the Hindu leaders not only belong to the Awami League; they are leaders of the Awami League. They have done many wrong things, so people are angry and frustrated with them, just like other Awami League leaders. They are not regarded as Hindus. They were regarded as Awami League leaders," he said.
"For example, in my constituency, there are mostly five per cent Hindus. You can not give a simple example where none of the minorities were being harassed. Across the country, there were some, I believe, but those incidents were political matters, not a Hindu-Muslim issue," Kamal said.
Earlier in June, Yunus hinted that national elections would be held in early February the following year. In June, Muhammad Yunus held talks with Acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman in London. Rahman proposed to the Chief Adviser that the elections be held before the fasting month of Ramadan next year in the Muslim-majority country of 170 million people.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student-led uprising in August last year. After Sheikh Hasina's fall, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Laureate.