Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organized the meeting at Parjatan Motel conference hall today. Photo : BSS

RAJSHAHI, July 17, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a participatory meeting here today unequivocally called for reaching national consensus to restore democracy and shutting down the path of recurrence of more fascisms.

They mentioned that many people, particularly youths, paid huge costs to oust the prolonged fascist regime, so there is an urgent need of reaching national consensus in this regard.

Experts and political leaders came up with the observation while addressing a view exchange meeting with stakeholders, including political leaders, development activists, youth, media professionals and members of the civil society on building national consensus.

Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organized the meeting at Parjatan Motel conference hall supported by the Lady's Organization for Social Welfare (LOFS).

The objectives of the meeting were to incorporate the perspectives and expectations of various stakeholders into the ongoing work of the National Consensus Commissions on reform.

BEI President Humayun Kabir addressed the meeting as focal person and moderated the discussion, while its Deputy Director Samiul Haque gave an overview of their activities along with objectives of the meeting during his keynote presentation.

LOFS Executive Director Shahanaz Parveen, BNP leader Mosaddique Hossain Bulbul, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Advocate Muhammad Selim and local unit coordinator of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust Advocate Samina Begum, among others, also spoke on the occasion.

The discussants opined that there should be strict measures so that no more political government can dare to destroy the country's important organizations, particularly Election Commission, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and Public Service Commission (PSC).

During the discussion, participants shared their opinions on building a stakeholder-aligned and sustainable reform process envisioned to go beyond political narratives.  
 
They also raised voices on practicing democracy within all the political parties for the greater interest of ensuring transparency and accountability in their activities as a whole.

"We have no more scope to show any sympathy to the ousted fascist Awami League as the mass-upsurge on August 5, 2024 has settled the issue," said Jasim Uddin, a political leader.