Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of the BNP, has alleged that governance in the country has severely deteriorated. Speaking at the launch and discussion event of Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman’s new book “Economy, Governance and Power: Narratives of Everyday Life”, Fakhrul said:

“Previously, a businessman had to pay Tk 300,000 in extortion—now it has increased to Tk 500,000. There is no good governance or control anywhere. The police system remains unchanged.”

Emphasising the need for reform, Fakhrul acknowledged that while such changes require time, democratic practices must not be sidelined. He asserted:

“Reform cannot happen overnight. But that doesn’t mean we should sit idle, abandoning democratic processes. Nothing should be imposed forcibly. We must urgently return to a democratic path and bring people’s representatives to parliament through fair means.”

He further warned of potential economic threats stemming from global shifts:

“Trump’s tariffs could become a major problem for us.”

In closing, Fakhrul stressed the constructive role of political parties:

“Political parties should always play a positive role in national development and act in the public interest.”