Bobby Hajjaj, Chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), has asserted that there is no major business establishment in Dhaka from which the NCP has not collected funds.

He made these remarks during a recent talk show, elaborating on the nature of political funding and the ethical choices involved.

Political Work and Funding

Hajjaj stated, “Politics is a vast enterprise. Operating effectively requires extensive work, which in turn demands funding. But who will provide these funds? And why would they?”

He reflected on his personal experience, saying, “Speaking for myself, my party has been active for the past eight years, and I have been involved in politics for fifteen. We have worked hard, and many of our friends and relatives have witnessed our struggles. Seeing this, some have joined our party and contributed through donations. Many of those who support them also provide small contributions.”

On Ethical Fundraising

Bobby emphasised the importance of maintaining ethical standards in fundraising:

“Today, if you are new to politics, very few people will provide substantial donations. Some may feel tempted to resort to unethical methods, but that is unnecessary unless you want to achieve power overnight. Gradual progress allows you to grow without compromising integrity.”

He further explained, “If I had aimed to reach the position my party enjoys today in a short period, eight years ago, I would have had to accept unethical contributions. Collecting funds through such methods is what we refer to as ‘extortion’ or ‘chanda’.”

Summary

Bobby Hajjaj’s comments highlight the challenges of political financing in Bangladesh and stress the importance of integrity and patience for sustainable political growth.

This statement underscores the ethical dilemmas faced by political actors while highlighting NDM’s commitment to lawful and transparent fundraising.