BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy has warned that communal forces are on the rise in the country following the fall of fascism, report agencies.
"Those whom you call fundamentalists, I also call them fundamentalists. They are now selling tickets to heaven," he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a discussion titled "July Revolution and the Future Thoughts of Democracy", organised by Human Research and Analysis Foundation at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Saturday.
Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said a party is telling people that if they stay with it, they will go to heaven, and if not, they will go to hell.
"Yet they themselves don't know whether they will go to heaven or not. That's why I say communal forces are on the rise in the country. We have freed ourselves from fascism, but instead of democratic values, a frenzy of communalism has started, which helps create mobs," he observed.
The BNP leader warned that if the state system cannot be kept on the path of democracy, communalism could become twice as dangerous as fascism and ultimately lead to destruction of public life.
In today's modern world, he said communal forces would not allow free thought and the growth of talent.
Gayeshwar said BNP believes in religious values but does not in using religion to spread hatred. "Whatever the faith one follows, religion is a way of life meant to guide people in the right direction," he said.
"What is considered a sin in religion is regarded as wrongdoing under modern state law. In the justice system, it is clearly defined what punishment corresponds to which offence. Likewise, if one reads the Holy Quran or the Gita, it also specifies punishment that follows after death for certain sins. Therefore, there is no conflict between religion and the state system," the BNP leader said.
Turning to the interim government, Gayeshwar said the current administration lacks clear direction. "Except for a few, no one speaks.
Ministries are still being run by the administration left behind by Sheikh Hasina."
He also criticised the state of the media and social media, saying freedom must come with responsibility. "Media freedom does not mean saying anything about anyone. Social media has now become a place where people say whatever they like, which can mislead society, especially children."
The BNP leader stressed that democracy means people will elect a government through votes, and if they regret their choice, they can change it in the next election. "This simple path should not be made so difficult," he said.
On electoral reforms, Gayeshwar took a swipe at the proportional representation (PR) system,
saying the interim government has turned
reform into
superstition.
