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Download PDF Three out of the four panellists at the BBC Bangladesh Sanglap yesterday demanded immediate resignation of Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury for his “irresponsible remarks” about the soaring prices of rice.
Awami League Organising Secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, “He [the food adviser] knows nothing about the government’s initiatives and that is why he has the right to stay in the cabinet no more. There has been nothing more stupid in the country’s past than the comments of the adviser.” He said a number of the advisers to the caretaker government did not have any experience in running the country.
Other panellists BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan and The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam also demanded the resignation of the food adviser.
BBC Bangla Service in conjunction with the BBC World Service Trust organised the event at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital yesterday. Kamal Ahmed of BBC Bangla Service moderated the event.
Terming the demand logical, Nazrul Islam Khan said he has doubts whether the adviser would resign.
“Of course we demand the resignation of the adviser. His remarks apparently made the government worthless, powerless and with no responsibilities. We do not want such kind of advisers who do not take responsibilities for their job,” said Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star in response to a query from an audience.
Mahfuz Anam said these kinds of advisers are pushing the government towards failure.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Tapan Chowdhury said the government now has nothing to do with reducing the prices of rice.
Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan, a panellist, said the government should take responsibility if any crisis appears and they should be accountable.
About the trial of war criminals, the Amnesty International secretary general said the war criminals should be tried urgently and fairly. She also urged to follow some international principles in the trial process so that it does not appear to be an act of revenge. Irene Khan observed that it is the duty of the government to bring them to book.
Manna said the war criminals could be brought to justice if the current government took the initiative.
Nazrul said the government would have their support for the trial of war criminals.
Mahfuz Anam, also the publisher of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, observed that the war criminals could not be brought to justice in the past because of political opportunists. He urged the government to invite representatives of the United Nations to the country and learn from them how it tried war criminals in other countries.
Responding to a query whether the parliamentary elections would be held within the year 2008, Irene Khan said it would depend on the role of political parties, the caretaker government, the military and the people. “The elections would certainly be held if all wanted the elections,” she said.
About the army’s role in holding the elections, Irene Khan said the Bangladesh Army could set up an example in the world by promoting democracy.
She said the government should put a time limit on the state of emergency. She said like the previous governments since 1971, this government did not bring the violators of human rights to justice or follow different international human rights rules properly.
She urged the government to have dialogues with the members of the civil society and political parties before setting up the National Human Rights Commission.
The Daily Star editor said the making of a flawless voter list with national identity cards, among other things, is going on to make sure a free and fair election is held. “So, I do not see any sign that the elections would not be held on time,” he said.
The editor urged the government to initiate dialogues with political parties as early as possible to end confusions and doubts.
Terming the current emergency rule an unusual situation, he urged the government to put a quick end to this situation.
Mannan said different issues including finding out the war criminals and their trial might come to fore in the coming days. This could make the situation complicated for holding the elections on time. Nazrul said the state of emergency should be lifted to reflect people’s aspirations for a free and fair election.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
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