In an interview with Bangla Outlook, recently released BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury emphasised that the people should determine the duration of the government's tenure. He reiterated the ongoing struggle for democracy and suffrage, emphasising that it remains a central battle for the populace. Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury stressed the necessity of achieving victory in this democratic endeavour, stating that the fight must persist until success. M Hasan conducted the interview.

Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury was released on bail last Thursday following nearly three-and-a-half months of incarceration. He had been detained in connection with vandalism at the residence of the Chief Justice during the BNP-Police clash on October 28 of the previous year. On February 16, he engaged in discussions with Bangla Outlook at his residence in Banani, the capital city of Dhaka. Throughout the conversation, he addressed various topics, including the mass gathering on October 28, the one-sided nature of the election on January 7, and the future course of actions for the BNP. Despite recovering at home, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury grapples with physical strain. Detective police officers apprehended him in Gulshan on November 3 of the preceding year.

Bangla Outlook: You have been incarcerated for three and half months. How have you been in jail?

Amir Khosru: In fact, the life in jain is not the same as the life spent outside. My time in jail this time around was not easy. It was very different. My movement was restricted and I was not allowed to step outside the corridor. As a result, there was no scope to walk. It was very uncomfortable.

Bangla Outlook: Will the BNP be willing to wait another five years for a participatory election after the formation of the government through unilateral elections?

Amir Khosru: It is not the prerogative of the BNP; instead, it is the prerogative of the country's citizens. It will be the people who determine whether they remain voiceless and marginalised in terms of organisation, politics, and democracy, enduring another five years of disenfranchisement or worse. The question looms: will the era of one-party dominance persist, or will the rule of the Bangladeshi populace prevail? As politicians, our endeavour is dedicated to championing the interests and rights of the people. Our commitment to this cause remains unwavering. This is not a quest for power; it is a crusade to restore the rights of the nation's citizens, a battle to revive democracy.

Bangla Outlook: Following the events of October 28, where police raids disrupted a rally of millions, the question arises: will it be feasible to protest against the current government similarly?

Amir Khosru: There is no historical precedence in the world that a democratic movement will subside due to police brutality. There is no reason to believe that the democratic struggle of the people of Bangladesh will cease due to the murder, extermination, enforced disappearances, false cases, jail and torture by the police forces. The people of Bangladesh are deprived of constitutional, democratic and political rights, which is not a personal matter. Instead, it's a question of human rights. Despite the adversities faced, individuals have fulfilled their duties, with many sacrificing their lives, enduring imprisonment, and suffering various forms of oppression and torture. Many have left their homes; many have had to quit their jobs and businesses. As far as I know, ordinary people have not sacrificed so much for their rights in the distant past. Despite this, the ordinary people did not give up hope.

Bangla Outlook: What message does the BNP have for the country's citizens and its party members to encourage active participation in the movement against the government?

Amir Khosru: The struggle for democracy is an ongoing endeavour, and we must emerge victorious. The restoration of democracy hinges upon the reinstatement of the people's constitutional rights, and thus, our fight will persist until triumph is achieved. This is not merely an individual's battle, nor is it solely about the victory or defeat of the BNP. Instead, it is a collective endeavour of the Bangladeshi people. Just as we triumphed in the war of liberation, we must also emerge victorious in this fight for democracy.

Bangla Outlook: What is your response to the statement made by Awami League leaders suggesting that the BNP will need to wait another five years after the 12th National Assembly elections?

Amir Khosru: They (referring to the Awami League) may assert their stance from their position of power. But the ultimate decision rests with the people of Bangladesh. How they will maintain their right to vote remains to be seen, and only time will reveal their course of action.

Bangla Outlook: You must have kept up with the polls while you were in prison. How was the election?

Amir Khosru: In response to the BNP's call, people refrained from going to the polling stations, expressing their lack of trust in the government's reported voter turnout figures. It's a sentiment that suggests when someone claims success prematurely, it undermines the credibility of that success. In politics, the power ultimately resides with the people of Bangladesh. People are determined to get their rights. How long can they keep it by force, persecution, murder, or false cases? Time will tell. But it only worked for a short time in any country. The country became independent for fundamental rights. Will this current state of freedom be acceptable to the people of Bangladesh? They will fight for it. We might not be here tomorrow as we are today, but this movement for people's rights will not stop.

Bangla Outlook: What is your interpretation of the Western world's passive stance following the unilateral election on January 7?

Amir Khosru: You have to do your own politics. BNP does not believe in relying on external support to drive its political goal. External powers may seek to encourage participation in the democratic process. It cannot be a fundamental way of doing politics. The essential politics is who you conduct it by taking the people of Bangladesh alongside. Their position on democracy and human rights has not changed yet. If a group of countries is occupying power by force, external powers will not come here to fight.

Bangla Outlook: What is your opinion regarding the current government's reliance on support from India, China, and Russia to maintain power?

Amir Khosru: The people of Bangladesh will take it into account. Bilateral relations are between people of one country with another country. If any country makes such a decision, it cannot have any genuine relationship with the people of Bangladesh. Any relation established under such circumstances would be artificial and unsustainable in the long term. Genuine relationships between nations are rooted in mutual respect and ethical considerations. There should be mutual respect for the people of Bangladesh.

Bangla Outlook: Should there be a decision to enter into renegotiations with representatives of the Western world?

Amir Khosru: The process of negotiations is ongoing and continuous. It's a responsibility entrusted to me by the party, and as long as I hold this responsibility, I am obligated to continue with it.

Bangla Outlook: Thank you for your time to Bangla Outlook.

Amir Khosru: Thanks Bangla Outlook too.