Democracy hardly practised in Bangladesh: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said democracy has rarely been practised in Bangladesh.

“It’s unfortunate that democracy has rarely been practised in Bangladesh. Perhaps this stems from the legacy of Pakistan politics…..We saw democracy being practised only for a short time, and then we went far away from this practice again,” he said.

Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of a national debate competition titled ‘Civil Discourse National 2025’, organised by The Bangladesh Dialogue and Dhaka College Debating Society at Abdul Karim Sahityabisharad Auditorium of Bangla Academy in the capital.

He said BNP believes in liberal democracy where freedom of speech must be guaranteed.

“We believe in liberal democracy. We believe I must have the freedom to speak. And you (dissidents) must have the freedom to speak. That is the essence of a functioning democracy,” he said.

The BNP Secretary General stressed the need for ensuring the space for dissenting voices to strengthen a democratic state system.

“It’s not about suppressing dissent; rather, we must create room for it. Even if someone disagrees with me, I must do everything to protect their right to express that opinion,” he added.

Fakhrul expressed optimism about the future of Bangladesh, saying, “I’m hopeful that better days will come for Bangladesh. One day, we will proudly stand tall as a nation.”

Expressing satisfaction with the activities of today’s youths, he said  “Many say nothing will change. But our youths have already surpassed us. I am now very hopeful that change will come. There will be debates, disagreements — and we must defend each other's right to disagree. Even if I don't agree with someone, I’ll risk my life to defend their right to express their view. That is what we believe in.”

Referring to a word ‘honourable’ used during the debate earlier, Fakhrul said he has an objection to one thing in the debate. “Do we really need to use the word ‘honourable’ before saying ‘Prime Minister’ or ‘Speaker’? I believe the excessive use of such terms breeds authoritarianism.”

In the event, BNP Chairperson’s Foreign Affairs Committee member Israfil Khossru, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Rasheda Imam and Dhaka College Principal Prof AKM Elias were, among others, present.