A certain political faction feels uneasy about giving credit for the events of Aug. 5, Supreme Court senior lawyer Advocate Shishir Monir said Saturday.
He made the remarks at a “National Dialogue on the Referendum” held at the National Press Club on Saturday (Sept. 5). The event was attended by prominent politicians, lawyers, academics and human-rights activists from across the country.
Shishir Monir said, “A certain political party grows uneasy whenever discussion turns to the historic events of Aug. 5. That is because the message or narrative that emerged from the movement during the mass uprising did not originate from them. Yet the party is unwilling to give any credit to those who did put forward that message.”
Sharply criticizing the BNP’s role in the context of Aug. 5 and the country’s current political situation, Shishir Monir said, “It is not right to let a nation be lost to the ego and arrogance of any one party or individual.”
Describing the BNP as a “party of the people,” he further said the BNP should gladly accept the wishes and demands of the people. He said the party wants to control or use the movement’s slogans as it pleases, but it is not a good sign for the nation’s unity and future to be endangered by the ego of one or two individuals.
Addressing Prime Minister Tareque Rahman directly, Shishir Monir said, “A rare opportunity has arisen for the current head of government to establish himself as a true statesman. Whether he becomes a genuine statesman or remains confined to the identity of an ordinary politician is a decision he alone must make.”
Others in attendance at the event included National Citizen Party (NCP) member secretary and lawmaker Akhter Hossain, former chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Tajul Islam, NCP leader Sarwar Tushar, AB Party’s Barrister Fuad, Barrister Tanim Hossain Shawon, prominent political scientist Dr. Dilara Chowdhury, human-rights activist Ruby Amatullah and former press secretary Shafiqul Alam.