'We want democracy, not rule by false propaganda, and not religious state': Bangladesh journalist on national poll

Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 25 (ANI): Bangladeshi journalist Muktadir Rashid has expressed strong optimism about the possibility of holding free and peaceful elections in Bangladesh, asserting that the country should emerge as a democratic nation with fairly elected leadership, free from false propaganda and religious extremism, as the nation gears up to hold their first national election since the ousting of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year during a student-led uprising.
In an interview with ANI, Rashid responded to concerns about ongoing violence and the feasibility of the February 12 elections scheduled by the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, stressing the importance of democracy and fair governance.
"We have to build our country. And here, the democratic spirit from India, Pakistan, Nepal, everywhere across the country, and also the world, should come up and see. We want this country to be a democratic, fairly elected country and that leadership will function so that democracy will be upheld, and they will rule not by extra toughness, not by false propaganda, and not by making a religious country. We don't want to see that," he stated.
Rashid emphasised the need for political leadership to stabilise the country, warning against opportunistic elements seeking to make Bangladesh vulnerable to foreign influence.
He added that these elements are attempting to create unrest, but ultimately, political leadership is the only solution to stabilise the situation.
"100 per cent. I would say 100 per cent is possible. Because there are only 500 bad elements there. 500 bad elements - they are causing this problem. Many of them are inside the cabinet, in the government. They are creating problems. They wanted to create some noise but they don't have any alternative other than supporting this election, because only political leadership can bring everything in," he said.
Rashid said that Dhaka should not become vulnerable to foreign influences and that the country must maintain its independence while fostering peaceful relations with neighbours.
"I have been saying since the beginning of this government that they have to use this power; as soon as the political leadership does, it will be safer for these people. Now, many strange elements and many opportunists wanted to make it a vulnerable country and a stooge of other foreign powers. We don't want to make it a foreign power, a stooge. We want to bring all our friends together. We don't want to make an enemy city with any of our neighbours or a foreign neighbour or any other," the journalist said.
"We want to make it a peaceful country. Many places in India are very peaceful, very calm, because those people understand that we have to make our country ourselves," he added.
Rashid's remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing political turmoil following the killing of one of the prominent figures in the July Uprising, Osman Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho, a mass cultural movement formed during last year's uprising. (ANI)