Dhaka: Joint secretary general of opposition BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said, “Government is the guiding force of the country and its political environment and culture depends on the ruling elite. But they are pushing the country towards a civil war by their deeds so the government would have to take responsibility for that.”

Rizvi Ahmed has also been performing the duty of the office secretary of the main opposition party. After the 1/11 political changeover, the former student leader had played a key role in those hard days when the party chief was detained by the military backed caretaker government of Fakhruddin-Moin Uddin. Some other top leaders of the party were also detained while many other leaders had joined hands with the military backed regime and turned reformists. At that very critical moment of the country’s politics, two leaders stand firm and steered the opposition BNP ahead. One of them was BNP secretary general Khondaker Delwar Hossain and the other one was Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed.

Even in recent time, the key leader of the opposition BNP has been forced to stay in BNP central office for several days as he was playing the key role in steering ahead the anti-government movement in absence of acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir who was arrested in false case filed by the government, in which Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed is also an accused.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in an exclusive interview with Mohsin Hossain of Prime News talked many interesting political development on December 19 at Nayapaltan central office.

Prime News: In which direction the politics of the country is heading for?

Rizvi: Politics of the country depends entirely on the government as it rules the country. But if the ruling elite deliberately leads the country towards civil war then they must take responsibility for that. Because it the Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League cadres under police protection keep on trying to foil the meeting, rally and other programmes of the BNP-led 18-party alliance then our activists won’t sit idle, though we don’t want confrontation and support peace. But if the government tries to take advantage of the situation in dampening the opposition movement considering it as the opposition’s weakness then it would be a blunder for the repressive regime. We would intensify the anti-government and would force the government to fulfill our demand through mass-upsurge.

Prime News: Is there any new strategy in the anti-government movement right at the moment?

Rizvi: The strategy would be fixed by the policymakers of the party. But I would like to tell you one thing if the government considers the democratic movement of the opposition as its weakness, then the regime would have to take responsibility for the retaliatory response of the opposition. Movement cannot be run by fixing strategies, rather picking relevant issues on the way takes movement towards its goal. Strategies would depend on intensity of the movement to reach its goal.

Prime News: As both opposition BNP and ruling Awami League has taken a confrontational position would it make a way for the third force to grab power?

Rizvi: It would entirely depend on the government which force would emerge from which side. But we as a responsible opposition are firm in our conviction to continue the constitutional path and our goal is to restore the caretaker government system and intensifying the movement for that. The government had forcibly scrapped the caretaker system from the constitution, but take it from me, the government had to restore it on their own. And I don’t see any possibility of power grab by any third or fourth force. But one thing is almost certain if the government continues its repression on the opposition then the BNP-led 18-party alliance would force out the government from power through democratic movement.  

Prime News: Is BNP prepared for any sort of election right now?

Rizvi: BNP is a pro-election party and it is always prepared for polls. If the right environment has been created and ensured by restoration of the caretaker government, BNP will not hesitate or have any problem in taking part in any election.

Prime News: Will the attacks, filing of cases and arrests hamper the opposition movement?

Rizvi: BNP is a party of millions. How many people the government would arrest? If the government forces arrest 500 people then another 500 people would take their place. So the government would not find any place in the prisons for keeping so many people detained. As the government had taken the path of the autocratic regime, people will certainly emerge victorious over the autocratic regime.  

Prime News: After disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali BNP movement gained momentum. But the movement turned less enthusiastic after filing of cases and arrest of senior leaders. Will such a situation be repeated this time?

Rizvi: Look, political movement has its own dynamics. The movement reaches its peak and then slowed down for a while. And that too happens for a final push to unsettle everything. Like weather becomes calm and quiet for a while before a big storm on its way.

Prime News: Barrister Moudud Ahmed demanded fresh trial of war crimes after resignation of International Crimes Tribunal-1 chairman Justice Nizamul Haque. Was it a party position or it was Moudud’s personal comment?

Rizvi: Actually I don’t know, Moudud Ahmed is a senior party leader and prominent lawyer, I should not make any comment on his remark. 

Prime News: After the 1/11 political changeover Saifur Rahman and Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin formed an alternative BNP front in the name of reform in the party. But later Maj (retd) Hafiz has been rehabilitated in the party and given the post of vice-chairman. What is your opinion on the issue?

Rizvi: These are old and sensitive issues and I don’t have any comment on such an old issue. The party leaders has been reunited and now we are all trying to work together for intensifying the movement.  

Prime News: Many reformists like Maj (retd) has not been rehabilitated or given access to join party activities, why is that sort of discrimination?

Rizvi: The thing is that all could not be accommodated in the party central committee as BNP is really a big party, but they could be accommodated when the next committee will be formed.

Prime News: After the 1/11 changeover many reformists were deliberately not given party nomination. Will such a strategy be followed again?

Rizvi: Look, there is no reformist or non-reformist in the party now. In the next election, leaders who are qualified and popular in their constituencies will get party ticket.

Prime News: Thanks a million on behalf of the Prime News authorities for giving us your precious time for the exclusive interview.

Rizvi: I would like to thank all readers and patrons of the Prime News on behalf of the BNP for providing us support in all the way, thanks.

Ends/AMA/27/12/12