BNP doesn't fear reforms, problems 'elsewhere': Fakhrul

BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has dismissed claims that his party is wary of reforms, saying that it welcomes them. However, he believes "the problem lies elsewhere".

"The problem is that all these new ideas are being brought in, but our country and our nation are not familiar with them," Fakhrul said at a discussion at Dhaka's Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.

Praising the National Consensus Commission, he said: "We are very happy when we see positive news in the newspaper. Our brother [Asaduzzaman] Ripon only says negative things. He does not see anything good. But I see a few good things.

"I see the good because, today, I saw in the newspaper that all the parties have come together to agree on change on 12 basic issues. This is a positive step and I thank [the consensus commission's Vice-Chairman] Dr

Ali Riaz, who has worked tirelessly and tried to at least get us to that point alongside his team."

Addressing critics, the senior BNP leader said: "Many people talk about us negatively, saying that we do not want reforms. The very idea of reforms is ours. Reform starts with us."

To support this claim, he cited the role of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and his wife, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, after 1975.