Lt Gen (retd) Mahmubur Rahman speaks to DOT
Only the Army can present a free, fair and neutral parliamentary election to the people. The only force that is truly patriotic and committed to work in the country is the Army. If it is tasked with the election, the people will accept it. Peace will return to the country. Such a thing happened in the past, which is evident.
The law enforcing agencies are failing to provide security to the people, the candidates and the voters. They are behaving in a biased manned. If they keep failing to do so, they need to be replaced by the army personnel after being discharged from the duty assigned.
The way the police are carrying out attacks is not right. They are attacking BNP leaders and activists during electioneering, who are simply carrying out polls campaigns. We want the election to be held to help the suspended flow of democracy be restored in the country.
We want all the political parties to run the polls race. The main goal of the 1971 Liberation was to achieve democracy, which is still absent, even 47 years after gaining the feat. In order to ensure the continuation of democracy, the democratic rights have to be established.
The maiden condition of democracy is election, which has to be held in a free, fair and neutral manner. We have some mistakes here, which the Election Commission needs to ensure. The government has so proceed to this end as well.
Mahmubur Rahman is an ex-Army Chief.
Interviewed by Amirul Islam, translated by Sayeed Muhammad
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