Desk Report:
Chief Whip of the Bangladesh National Parliament Md. Nurul Islam said, there is no such member of parliament in the current National Parliament who has not been a victim of prison oppression and torture. This is the parliament of the oppressed. We have to live together against fascism by joining the caravan of the country’s people for their liberation.
In this regard, quoting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the Chief Whip said, ‘I believe that our parties, opinions or programs may be different, but there will be no conflict between us in establishing a Bangladesh that is free from responsibility, free from fascism, independent, sovereign, safe and self-reliant, humane.
The Chief Whip said these things while delivering the vote of thanks on the President’s address on the closing day of the 13th National Parliament session on Thursday (April 30, 2026).
Md. Nurul Islam said, just as ants cling to each other to make a ball and take turns going up and down to breathe, similarly, the members of this Parliament have taken the responsibility of saving the country by uniting themselves.
Terming the current Parliament as a ‘Parliament of the oppressed’, the Chief Whip said, there are many members here (in Parliament) who have been victims of cases, imprisonment, oppression and brutal torture in the past. Therefore, we should not fight and wage war against each other. In this context, he said, democracy is not a badminton or tennis game where the ball will go from one side to the other and one side will win. We have to decide where we want to take this democracy. Do we want to end it here or do we want to drag it out for five years or more? If we do not decide properly, someone else will come and occupy the chair here and put both of us in danger. I want to call on everyone, will we let that sun rise or will we sink into darkness again? I want us not to lose this opportunity.
Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam said that the present time is the time to come out of a deep darkness (where there was a culture of mirror, torture and impunity) with a collective effort. He reminded Martin Luther King and warned that, ‘If we do not unite as brothers, then we will all die like fools.’ Regarding the dream of a fascism-free Bangladesh, he said that even if there are different political ideologies or programs, there should be no conflict among anyone in establishing a responsible, fascism-free, safe and self-reliant humane Bangladesh.
Regarding the benefits of unity, he said, “We have taken many important decisions in the national interest, such as the decision not to take plots without considering personal gain. Similarly, efforts have been made to work on the basis of national consensus by accepting the opposition’s proposal to solve the oil and gas problem. Whenever we unite on a good issue, the cries of the people outside reduce.
Regarding the historical garbage and the role of BNP, the Chief Whip said, BNP has historically been given the responsibility of cleaning up the ‘garbage’ left behind by various regimes. After independence in the post-1971 period, people dreamed of democracy and good times, but in reality they got the atrocities of Mujib Bahini and Rakshi Bahini, and the terrible famine of 1974. Where democracy and freedom of the press were taken away through the formation of Baksal. Begum Khaleda Zia took over the responsibility of Ziaur Rahman, who removed the garbage of the autocratic rule of the next nine years and restored democracy and a fragile economy.” And now, the chaotic situation without the rule of law for the past 17 years and the fragile economic mess after bank looting and money laundering have fallen on the shoulders of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Regarding making the parliament effective, he said, our main goal is to make the parliament not only vibrant, but also effective. It is natural that there will be different opinions in the parliament, but in the interest of the people of the country and in the interest of democracy, we have to reach a consensus at one place. We need a joint effort for the rule of law and a rational solution to national problems.
He also said, politics should be for the common people—for everyone who drives a rickshaw, who is a farmer, who is a laborer, a blacksmith or a potter. Our goal should be to nurture and bring forward this democracy. We all want to take the path of that democracy forward under the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister.
