Home
+
Published : 25 Dec 2025, 11:46 PM
Mushtuq Husain, a Standing Committee member of Bangladesh JaSad, believes Tarique Rahman’s homecoming will address critical flaws in Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
The veteran politician noted that the BNP acting chairman’s long exile in the United Kingdom -- the cradle of democracy -- offered him a unique chance to observe and reflect on stable governance.
"We hope for a peaceful, democratic path for the country," Mushtuq said. "He has spent a long time in Britain, engaging with and observing democratic systems. We believe he will address the existing gaps in our democratic process and contribute significantly from his position."
The JaSad leader advised Tarique to face the Awami League -- the BNP’s longstanding rival -- on the political field rather than through broad suppression.
He warned that "mob justice" against Awami League supporters or liberal thinkers would only help hide the crimes committed during the previous regime from 2014 to 2024.
"If supporters of the Awami League face mob violence, people will lose sight of their past misdeeds and focus only on the current persecution," Mushtuq argued.
He noted that such a cycle of vengeance would stifle the public’s desire for true liberation and mirror the patterns of the past.
Tarique returned to Dhaka with his family on Thursday at 11:45am after spending more than 17 years in exile in London.
After a warm reception at Shahjalal International Airport, he reached the rally on Purbachal’s 300 Feet Road after more than three hours, where a massive crowd had gathered.
After delivering a speech lasting around 15 minutes, he went to Evercare Hospital in Bashundhara to see his ailing mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Mushtuq, a former leader of the anti-Ershad student movement, appeared on a special bdnews24.com live programme marking Tarique’s homecoming.
He served as DUCSU general secretary from 1989 to 1990.
Mushtuq highlighted the challenges of political polarisation and the rise of the far-right following the fall of the Awami League regime.
He warned that if "neo-fascism" or violence triumphs in the name of change, the country will only worsen.
"Anyone can practice right, left, or centrist politics. But if violence wins under the guise of the right-wing, or if it is imposed on others in a ‘neo-fascist’ manner, we must object," he said.
He pointed out that while the previous government used state machinery to suppress dissent, it is equally dangerous if non-state actors now use private militias, target the media, or carry out "target killings”.
"If we establish radical ‘fascism’ while trying to drive out the old one, previous autocracies become acceptable in the public eye, and people will view chaos as their destiny," said Mushtuq.
The BNP has pledged to work towards democratic transition, he noted, but recalled that neither the BNP nor Awami League had consistently followed democratic practices in the past.
He cited “violence and repression” during the BNP-led government between 2001 and 2006.
Mushtuq said the party cannot escape responsibility for the Aug 21 grenade attack and the killing of some political leaders, insisting that those trials must reach a conclusion.
Referring to electoral practices during the Awami League era, he said the aim after the 2024 July Uprising was to return the country to a proper democratic track with participation of all political forces.
“The BNP and several other parties were marginalised, even though many may disagree with their politics. But participation within a democratic space was necessary,” he said.
He added that the BNP had played a role in filling that space, though Tarique’s absence had left it incomplete.
While the party did not face a political vacuum, he said it could play a major role in addressing democratic shortcomings, particularly as its chairperson remains ill.
He urged Tarique to lead the party away from these past patterns and towards a peaceful governance model.
The veteran suggested that because Tarique’s influence over his activists is more "emotional than organisational”, his personal stance against "mob justice" is vital.
“After Aug 5 [2024], disorder occurred in many places, with BNP involvement found at different levels,” he said.
"The BNP has a massive network reaching every village,” he added. “If [Tarique] takes a firm stand against ‘mob violence’ and instructs his followers to prevent it, those orchestrating this chaos will find it impossible to continue.”
He noted that the BNP could also assist police in arresting those responsible.
Mushtuq ended by calling for the restoration of power transfer through elections.
“The tradition of changing governments through elections must return. Very few governments in Bangladesh have come through elections. Most came through mass uprisings or military takeovers,” he said.
He said all political parties must be able to express their views freely before and after elections.
“If elections are held on that basis, there is reason for hope,” he added.
