BNP must seek apology, confession is not enough: Suranjit

Awami League Advisory Council member Suranjit Sengupta on Saturday said confession of its mistake in the past would not serve the purpose, BNP should have to seek apology to the nation.

"BNP should discard communal politics....it should raise demand for trial of the war criminals...should announce in public its severing of relations with Jamaat, and BNP chairperson should seek apology to the families of those killed in fire bomb hurled on them at her instruction," he said.

Suranjit Sengupta, also a senior parliamentarian of the ruling Awami League, said this raising finger at BNP while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion in the city.

Nouka Samarthak Goshthy, an organisation of the supporters of Awami League`s poll symbol `Boat`, organised the discussion on current politics at the Institution of Diploma Engineers at Kakrail, with joint general secretary of Dhaka City Awami League (AL) Awlad Hossain in the chair.

Valiant freedom fighter and AL leader Abdul Hye Kanu, Samyabadi Dal central leader Haroon Chowdhury and general secretary of the host organisation Humayun Kabir Mizi were the discussants, among others.

Referring to recent remarks of BNP acting secretary general Mizra Fakhrul Islam Alamgir that they (BNP) have committed mistakes but they would win (in polls), Suranjit Sengupta posed question as to how a person or persons could win who had committed mistakes. "Mistakes were committed for pursuing faulty politics," he added.

Suranjit Sengupta, also chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, said, "Begum Khaleda Zia implements the decisions that are taken by her eldest son Tarique Rahman now based in London. The realisation process in BNP has started. Islami Oikya Jote severed its relations with the BNP-led 20-party combine and other allies in the combine will follow suit, and then disintegration of BNP will start."

The senior AL leader said, "The salaries of the government officers will be doubled in the Pay Scale, which is unprecedented in the history of Bangladesh. I don`t understand the comparison of the nomenclature- senior and junior secretary. Teachers should be given their due dignity. A nation can`t become big without entrusting proper dignity to the teachers. Equal benefits should be given to the doctors, engineers, bankers and secretaries(in the Pay Scale). There should not be discrepancy."