'If politics is fixed, country will be fixed'

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has blamed politicians for the persistent plight of disadvantaged people, saying the country's problems can be addressed if politics is put on the right track.

"Politics has now become all-consuming. If politics is fixed, the country will be fixed," he said, criticising politicians for focusing more on securing personal benefits than addressing the needs of marginalised communities.

He made the remarks while speaking at the launch of the Caucus at the China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital on Thursday.

The Speaker said ordinary people had to take to the streets to remove what he described as a mafia government.

He observed that the number of disadvantaged people would gradually decline if democratic governance could be maintained in the country. Members of Parliament (MPs), he added, could bring about meaningful changes if they acted sincerely.

"MPs can do a lot if they want. Even their political parties cannot go beyond their position," he said, adding that everything depended on how sincerely they fulfilled their responsibilities.

Expressing his unwillingness to see the country return to its dark past, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said the national situation could improve through just two or three elections if they were conducted fairly.

He urged the caucus to work not only for disadvantaged communities but also to promote free and fair elections.

Describing the current parliament as a genuinely fairly elected legislature, the Speaker said the overall quality of its members was also quite good.

He also expressed support for abolishing the nomination system, arguing that women had become more educated and were increasingly demonstrating their leadership abilities.

There were many capable women leaders who could defeat male candidates in elections, he said, expressing hope that such elected representatives would bring visible changes to society.