Dhaka, Jan 28 (V7N) — Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor, has said that while there are differences over national elections and referendums, the upcoming national parliamentary elections differ from the previous 12 polls, and Bangladesh’s democratic transformation depends on their success.

He made the remarks at a roundtable meeting organized by the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Wednesday morning.

Ali Riaz noted that although opportunities for state reform have arisen in the past, a permanent form of democracy has not yet been established due to failures on the part of political parties. He added that while the interim government plays a limited role in democratic transformation, political parties have the primary responsibility.

At the same event, Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair said that only fascist forces and their allies deny the need for reforms. Referring to attacks on female workers of Jamaat across the country, he alleged that accomplices of extortionists are oppressing women.

The roundtable discussion focused on the challenges and prospects for strengthening democracy in Bangladesh, highlighting both the role of elections and political accountability.

END/SMA/AJ