BNP to Increase Health Sector Investment if Elected: Amir Khasru

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of BNP’s Standing Committee and former minister, has stated that if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) comes to power through public mandate, the government will significantly increase investment in the health sector.

He also mentioned plans to send skilled workers abroad and to ensure employment for one million unemployed citizens, initiatives outlined in BNP’s announced 31-point programme.

These statements were made on Wednesday, 3 September, at a seminar titled “Post-July Politics and the Future Path of Bangladesh”, organised by the US-based School of Leadership at a luxury hotel in Dhaka.

The event was presided over by Dr. Golam Kader Chowdhury Nobel, Joint Secretary of the School of Leadership. Special guests included BNP Vice-Chairman Dr. Asaduzzaman Ripon, NDM Chairman Bobby Hajjaj, and Pakistan Consul Kamran Dangal.

Amir Khasru remarked: “After Hasina fled, a struggle over credit for the movement has been ongoing. If people continue fighting over credit, the country cannot move forward. After the Liberation War, the real freedom fighters returned to their duties without pursuing personal credit. Similarly, post-revolution countries that have transferred power through democratic processes have succeeded.”

He stressed that one year has passed since Hasina’s departure, and the only viable path forward is to hold elections promptly to restore a democratic process.

Amir Khasru emphasised: “Democracy ensures every citizen’s voting rights, economic rights, social rights, business rights, and the right to live properly. Democracy is not simply casting a vote to come to power. Citizens must have their basic rights addressed first, rather than investing in large showpiece mega-projects.”

Dr. Ripon noted: “After the July mass uprising, students had announced a new political settlement. A year later, there is still no progress. However, BNP’s 31-point programme already highlights a new political settlement. Hasina believed she held eternal power, but her downfall has shown that power is never permanent. She continues attempts to destabilise the country from abroad, facing numerous obstacles.”

He also commented on the symbolic reclaiming of authority: “Gonobhaban had been turned into a stronghold of Hasina’s authoritarian rule. Our youth have dismantled that authoritarian enclave.”

The seminar highlighted that BNP’s 31-point programme represents a new political settlement, aiming to secure the fundamental rights of every citizen:

• Voting rights
• Economic rights
• Social rights
• Business rights
• Right to live properly

“Democracy is not just about voting and gaining power; it is about ensuring these rights for all citizens,” speakers emphasised.