BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today addressed at a dialogue on “365 Days of the Interim Government” at a city hotel. Photo: Video Screenshot

DHAKA, Aug 10, 2025 (BSS)- BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today said without changing the political culture, no reform is possible in the country.

“We must change our existing political culture and need to move away from confrontational politics. Otherwise reform is not possible,” he said. 

Amir Khasru Mahmud said this while addressing a discussion on "365 days of Interim Government" held in a hotel in Gulshan here today.

“We treat others poorly and spew venomous remarks to each others. If we can't overcome this, our problems won't be solved,” he said. 

“Even when you disagree with someone's opinion, you must respect him. Democracy means tolerance and respect to others' views," he added.

Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the event marking the first anniversary of the interim government. 

The BNP leader said, there has come huge change in the mindset of the people following the ouster of the fascist regime. A political party or individual will not survive if they fail to understand the change.
Declining to make any comment on the successes or failures of the interim government, he said, "Bangladesh is moving towards a democratic process. This is an interim government. Its primary responsibility is to restore democracy from where it was destroyed and return the country's ownership to its people."

Amir Khosru praised the initiative taken by the National Consensus Commission, saying, "The consensus effort is a good initiative. There will be different philosophies, but all must come together sans pressure unlikely to Bakshal. 

“No forced change will be sustainable. It was a big challenge for the government to bring everybody on board to take the country forward,” he said.

Pointing out the frustrating scenario of direct foreign investment (FDI) in the country during the interim government's tenure, he said, “It's not their fault. Bangladesh ranks very low in investment. The country's economy cannot move forward without serious deregulation and serial liberalism.”

The government must handover many responsibilities to the private sector and the government needs to be unburdened by transferring many responsibilities to trade bodies, he said.

Amir Khosru said corruption cannot be curbed without reducing physical contact of the service provider with service giver. 

“The economy should be democratized and everybody needs to participate in the economic progress,” he said.

Laying importance on quick transition to democracy, the BNP leader said, the sooner the country will be able to restore democracy, the sooner it can move to progress.