Don’t think about ‘minus 2 formula’ again: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday warned that no one should think of the so-called “minus two formula” again or engage in any actions excluding the party as part of a plot.

Speaking at a memorial meeting, he said there were failed attempts to depoliticise and implement the “minus two formula” during the 1/11 political changeover of 2007.

“No one should even think about following that path. We want to make it clear that you should not try to do anything to exclude the BNP as part of any plot because the people of Bangladesh will never accept it,” Fakhrul said.

He said the Awami League had tried to split the BNP in various ways but failed, and no one will be able to do so in the future.

Without naming anyone, he said an adviser to the interim government made an “unexpected and unwarranted” comment suggesting that politicians are restless to go to power. “This is very unfortunate. We do not expect an individual of his stature to make such remarks.”

The Dhaka South City unit of the BNP organised the programme at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, to mark the fifth death anniversary of Sadeque Hossain Khoka, the former mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation and BNP vice-chairman.

Earlier on Saturday, Road, Transport and Bridges and Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said, “There’s no money in the banks. Politicians seem desperate to go to power, and we, too, wish to return to our work.”

Fakhrul said politicians not only aspire to return to power, but they have also sacrificed their lives, endured repression and suppression, and worked tirelessly to free Bangladesh from Sheikh Hasina’s grip.

He said they are advocating for the prompt restoration of democracy by holding national elections, as the longer the government delays the polls, the greater the chance Hasina and her cohorts will have to revive.

“I would like to repeat it: create an atmosphere for holding the elections quickly by removing garbage from the state institutions. You have been given that responsibility, and we are cooperating with you. Now, you should cooperate with us. Don’t try to mislead people by claiming that we are anxious to return to power,” the BNP leader said.

As a political party, he said, the BNP aims to return to power, with its leaders and workers actively engaging in politics to run the country and ensure the welfare of the people.

Describing how BNP leaders and workers faced repression and sacrificed their lives during Awami League rule, Fakhrul said the immense sacrifices of the BNP cannot go in vain.

He urged the BNP leaders and workers not to engage in any actions that could tarnish the party’s image or lead to criticism of the party. “Don’t let anyone do that. Keep it in mind.”

The BNP leader observed that Bangladesh still seems to be trapped even after the fall of Hasina since “the government of the people has not yet been established”.

“We have been freed from the grasp of an awful monster, but there is no relief,” he said.

Fakhrul said they have extended their support to an interim government headed by a respected figure like Professor Muhammad Yunus, which will oversee the government until the election is held.

He said the BNP and its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, like the entire world, have always respected Chief Adviser Yunus.

“You (Yunus) have been entrusted with the task of restoring democracy in Bangladesh, which means you must hand over power to an elected parliament and government by conducting a fair and acceptable election,” Fakhrul said.

He said the Awami League has devastated the country and its economy over the past 15 years by plundering and siphoning off public funds abroad.

“The greatest damage has been done to the morale of the people of Bangladesh, and now thieves are everywhere, from banks to other offices.”

He recalled Khoka’s contributions to the country’s Liberation War, nation-building, and the strengthening of the BNP.

From head to toe, Fakhrul said, Khoka embodied the spirit of a politician genuinely friendly and approachable to his workers.

The BNP leader said they feel the absence of a charismatic leader like Khoka during any national and political crisis.