Democracy absent for 17 years, development narrative burst like balloon: Titumir

DHAKA, Oct 4, 2026 (BSS) - Adviser to the Prime Minister on the ministries of Finance and Planning Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir has said the people had no voting rights or opportunity to elect proper representatives over the past 17 years, resulting in authoritarian rule instead of democracy.

"The development narrative presented during that period eventually burst like a balloon," he said.

Titumir made the remarks while addressing a meeting as the chief guest at the Bhanga Upazila Parishad auditorium in Faridpur on Saturday evening. The Bhanga upazila BNP and its affiliated organisations organised the meeting.

Dr Titumir said, "We have inherited an economy that is extremely fragile. As a result, Bangladesh now stands among the top loan defaulters in the world."

Referring to the tenures of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, he said the country had examples of moving the economy forward while facing difficult challenges.

He said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman sought new sources of income despite the war-ravaged economy, famine, high inflation and the global oil crisis after independence. Initiatives to create employment opportunities in the Middle East helped open the way for increased remittance inflows, he added.

Mentioning Begum Khaleda Zia, Dr Titumir said she created opportunities for women to participate in formal employment. Women's increased participation subsequently helped Bangladesh's garment industry establish a strong position in the global market, he said.

The adviser said the incumbent government has pledged to build a production-oriented economy by creating employment and attracting new investment under its "Bangladesh First" policy.

"To implement this goal, production hubs will be established across the country," he said.

He said the previous government failed to create adequate employment opportunities for people in the region despite repeatedly talking about development.

He said that unemployment remains high in Greater Faridpur, including Gopalganj, and alleged that a system of "plunder" operated there in the name of development.

Faridpur-4 (Bhanga, Sadarpur and Charbhadrasan) MP and BNP-affiliated Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal central general secretary Shahidul Islam Babul, Bhanga upazila BNP president Khandaker Iqbal Hossain Selim, general secretary Ayub Molla, joint general secretary Said Munshi, organising secretary Shahidul Islam Bitu Munshi and Bhanga upazila Jubo Dal president Osman Munshi, among others, spoke at the meeting.