Justice and Democracy Party (JDP) Convener Nayeem Ahmad has said the country’s politics must be pro-Bangladesh, with key decisions dictated by national interests and made by the people of the nation.
Speaking at an event titled “Remembering Shaheed Abrar Fahad and What Needs to Be Done to Protect Bangladesh from Foreign Aggression” in front of the National Museum on Wednesday, Nayeem said achieving economic self-reliance and strengthening democracy institutionally were among the key ways to prevent foreign aggression.
He said Bangladesh’s foreign policy must be conducted based on national interests and sovereign equality, not hostility towards any country.
At the event, organised by the JDP to mark the seventh martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Abrar Fahad, he said the leadership of future Bangladesh will be in the hands of the generation that will carry the legacy of the sacrifices of Abrar Fahad, Abu Sayed and Osman Hadi.
“Abrar, Abu Sayed and Hadi—these three names are not merely the names of three individuals; they are symbols of some fundamental political questions that emerged at different times in Bangladesh’s recent history.”
He said, “Abrar reminds us of the courage to ask questions, Abu Sayed reminds us of the courage to stand up to injustice, and Hadi reminds us of the aspiration for political change and new thinking about the state. By their successors, we do not mean personality worship; rather, we mean the generation that carries the legacy of that political aspiration for justice, freedom, democracy and national dignity.”
On preventing foreign aggression, the JDP convener said, “Military strength alone is not enough; a state must be economically capable, politically stable, democratically accountable and institutionally strong. Economic self-reliance and institutional democracy are the key to preventing foreign aggression.”
On foreign policy, Nayeem Ahmad said, “We do not want a pro-India Bangladesh, we do not want a pro-Pakistan Bangladesh, we do not want a pro-China Bangladesh, nor do we want a pro-America Bangladesh. We want a pro-Bangladesh Bangladesh. There can be friendship with everyone, but the right to make decisions on matters concerning Bangladesh’s national interests must remain with the people of Bangladesh.”
Mentioning the need for national consensus to prevent foreign aggression, he said state policy needs to have continuity on Bangladesh’s fundamental national interests and sovereignty even when governments change. Long-term national strategies must be formulated on important issues such as water, borders, the sea, trade, energy, security and foreign relations.
He said, “We do not want to turn the people against any country. We want a Bangladesh that will be friendly with all countries but dependent on none; it will cooperate with everyone but will not compromise on its sovereignty and national interests.”
On student politics at universities, he said universities should be places of free thought, knowledge and debate, not places for establishing the dominance of any political party. No culture of torturing, intimidating or killing any student in the name of student politics can be acceptable.
“Recently, incidents of Chhatra Dal terrorism have been seen at various campuses across the country, including Rajshahi University; even journalists are being attacked. If student politics is to remain banned at BUET, it must also be banned at other campuses. There cannot be such a double standard where BUET students are given safe campuses, while students of Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Islamic University and other universities remain fearful of attacks by Chhatra Dal.”
At the event, Nayeem expressed solidarity with the ongoing movement in India demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
JDP Member Secretary Advocate Abdul Alim said, “In the context in which Abrar Fahad was martyred as an icon of an anti-hegemony foreign policy and patriotism, the terrorists of the ruling party’s student organisation are trying to bring back the ganoroom-guestroom culture to create the same context at public universities today. Despite clear evidence of the murder of a meritorious student like Abrar Fahad, there is a delay in executing the death sentences, which is unjust.”
Bangladesh NAP Secretary General Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan said, “Through Abrar Fahad’s martyrdom, a consciousness against aggression was created, and in continuity with that, Bangladesh-oriented politics must be established. There is no alternative to Bangladesh-oriented politics to build the Bangladesh envisioned by Shaheed Abrar Fahad, Abu Sayed and Osman Hadi.”
The meeting, moderated by JDP Joint Convener Muttaki bin Munir, was also addressed by JDP Chief Organiser Ahsan Ullah, Janatar Dal Senior Joint Secretary General Swanam Fuad, Bangladesh Green Party Senior Joint Member Secretary Yusuf Ammar, JDP Joint Member Secretary Engineer Mahtab Hossain Sabbir and Jatiya Chhatra Mancha Chief Organiser Salman Sharif, among others.