Recently BNP leader Khaleda Zia attended the Armed Forces Day reception at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment. In the program, she was received very warmly by the Chief Advisor Dr. Younus and others.  After the July uprising, such warm treatment of her made me feel a poignant sadness. Did we forget history too fast? Did the BAL government made us forget all of our history this fast? 

Lets check the history briefly. She was prime minister for two times and in both cases, she refused to leave the government and hold a free and fair election. In her first term, people were forced to take a street and force her down. In her second term, her action (through her president) forced the army to take power and install a caretaker government. In her second term, opposition leaders were attacked, bombed, and killed. 21 August grenade attacks happened under her government and they later try to hold a false enquiry to derail the investigation. 

Can she be termed as a leader or supporter of democracy in any way? I acknowledge that she and her party BNP played the role of opposition during the entire BAL government. But did they ever show any democratic tendency in their behaviour while they were in opposition? All they cared about was the freedom of their leader. 

Now, by warmly welcoming her aren’t the leaders of the movement and Dr Younus sent the wrong signal? Yes, I agree she was and is the main opposition leader. But can the current leaders maintain some distance to show that they want Khaleda Zia and the BNP to take a new stand and follow a new standard? After all, we all want a new Bangladesh, where political parties will be democratic. 

By welcoming her in this way, we are sending the wrong signal.