No scope for politics by excluding anyone, says Anisul Islam Mahmud

Jatiya Party (one faction) chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud has said there is no scope for doing politics by excluding anyone. He remarked that an attempt was once made to do politics by excluding Jamaat, and the nation has seen what the result of that was.

He made the remarks as chief guest at a discussion meeting marking Upazila Day at the Jatiya Party office in Gulshan in the capital on Saturday afternoon. In his words, no party will determine who will do politics and who will not; the people will determine that.

Anisul Islam Mahmud said stability is essential in the country to overcome all kinds of crises, including the fuel and economic crisis and the law-and-order situation. Economic crisis must be tackled, law and order improved, commodity prices controlled and public safety ensured, he said.

He added that alongside effective steps in these areas, the government must create an environment of inclusive politics to establish political stability — presenting inclusive politics in his speech as the condition for stability.

The discussion was chaired by the faction's secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader. Speakers included senior co-chairman Bir Muktijoddha Advocate Kazi Firoz Rashid, executive chairman Bir Muktijoddha Advocate Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu, and co-chairmen Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Sahidur Rahman Tepa, Mostafa Al Mahmud and Sunil Shuva Roy, among others.

ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader said former president Pallibandhu Hussain Muhammad Ershad introduced the upazila system with the aim of taking government services to people's doorsteps, through which administrative services and development activities were taken to the grassroots.

He said the upazila system is an important means of solving people's problems locally and making government services easily accessible, and necessary steps must be taken to make it more effective and people-friendly so ordinary people can get services in their own areas.

Howlader added that all political parties must play a responsible role so that ordinary people are not harmed by political instability and division, and claimed the Jatiya Party believes in responsible and constructive politics giving priority to public interest.

Present at the meeting were presidium members Begum Nasrin Jahan Ratna and Solaiman Alam Seth, chairman's special envoy Sarur Maula, Md Jasim Uddin Bhuiyan, Bir Muktijoddha Professor Nurul Islam Milon, Bir Muktijoddha Sardar Md Shahjahan, Fakhrul Ahsan Shahzada, Amanat Hossain and Md Belal Hossain, along with leaders at various levels of the party.

Vice-chairmen Saifuddin Ahmed Shipu, Sekandar Ali Serniabat, Dr Selima Khan, Mahmuda Rahman Munni, Naznin Sultana, Sheikh Md Alamgir Hossain and Mizanur Rahman Dulal, along with members of the editorial board, were also present.

While the Upazila Day discussion highlighted the importance of the upazila system, Anisul Islam Mahmud's call for inclusive politics has come to the fore anew in the current political debate.

It remains to be seen how the government and other political parties respond to this call for an inclusive political environment, and what role it plays in establishing stability.