Awami League (AL) Advisory Council member and former Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta, MP, requested BNP Monday to discard the politics of communalism, militancy and terrorism, reports BSS.
"All the democratic institutions will be destroyed if both Awami League and BNP pursue extremism and irresponsible politics as whichever party rules the country there will be requirement of police force, laws and courts," he said adding that democracy was not established in one day rather it takes ages and patience matters most in democracy.
Mr Sengupta, a senior parliamentarian of the ruling AL, said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion in the city.
Bangabandhu Academy organised the discussion on current politics at the Conference Hall of the Diploma Engineers' Institution at Kakrail in the capital marking the 84th birth anniversary of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Adviser of the Academy Barrister Zakir Hossain chaired the discussion, also addressed, among others, by Samyabadi Dal central leader Haroon Chowdhury, Krishak League central leader Abdul Hye Kanu and Dhaka City South unit Awami Jubo League former president Minhaz Uddin Mintu.
Mr Sengupta, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, said, "There is no alternative to polls for change in government. There will be polls after polls. So, it will not be fair for BNP to think that it lost everything by not taking part in the last parliament polls."
The senior AL leader said, "BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will have to be more conscious and knowledgeable about politics and she will have to understand the people's nerve."
He urged both the ruling party and the BNP to create a culture (environment) for decent and tolerant politics and not to generate heat in the field of politics.
"The country's constitution has given rights to the opposition to launch movement. We have waged movements at times while we were in the opposition," the senior parliamentarian said adding, "We don't believe in the politics that we will launch movement while in the opposition and will not allow the opposition to wage any movement while in power."
Hoping that the BNP's movement would be democratic and decent, Suranjit Sengupta said, "In that case we (government) will also be tolerant."
