CPB urges interim government to organize polls soon

Leaders of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) have said that there is no appropriate way to reform the country's constitution without elections. They called upon the interim government to formulate reform proposals for the elected government to be implemented.

CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince spoke to journalists after a dialogue on reforms was held in Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday. Ruhin Hossain Prince said that the mandate for reforming different state machineries from the country's 18 crore people has to be garnered through smooth, free and fair elections. Reforms are better not to be finalized by a handful number of individuals, Ruhin Hossain Prince commented.

Ruhin Hossain Prince further said "Our basic foundation is 1971. But the Advisory Council seems to have replaced 1971 with 2024. We don't think that's right. We must uphold the spirit of the Liberation War of 1971 and at the same time we should pay honour to the 2024 July Upsurge."

Ruhin Hossain Prince laid emphasis on the four basic pillars of Bangladesh Constitution. He did not exactly entertain the idea of rewriting the constitution. Regarding Gono Parishad, Ruhin Hossain Prince said that only an elected parliament can decide whether anything called Gono Parishad can be launched or not. Ruhin Hossain Prince stated that debates that can delay elections should be avoided. He stressed that the use of black money in elections must be stopped. Ruhin Hossain Prince also expressed astonishment that the representatives of the interim government did not focus on some vital issues categorically like an independent Election Commission and safeguarding people's voting rights.

The above dialogue began yesterday at 10 am morning and continued till 2:30 pm. The Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider moderated the discussion. Consensus Commission's Vice President Ali Riaz, Members Badiul Alam Majumder, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman and Justice Emdadul Haque were present on the occasion.

Ruhin Hossain Prince led a delegation team from CPB which included Mihir Ghosh, AN Rasheda, Fazlur Rahman, Raghib Ahsan Munna, Kazi Sazzad Zahir Chandan, Aniruddha Dash Anjan, Kazi Ruhul Amin, Sajedul Haque Rubel and Abid Hossain.