Bobby Hajjaj officially launches Nationalist Democratic Movement party

by Mahadi Al Hasnat in Dhaka Tribune, April 25, 2017
Bobby Hajjaj on Monday publicly launched his political party, the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM).
The party was launched at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh with party Chairman Bobby Hajjaj and its Secretary General Prof Abdullah Mohammad Taher and other NDM leaders.
During the launch Bobby said the reason why he formed a new political party was because he felt all the parties lacked accountability and democratic processes among their own bodies.
He criticised the on-going tradition of dynastic politics in Bangladesh and said the best way to address the deep societal divides was to follow the democratic traditions of developed nations.
Citing China and Singapore as examples, Bobby said: “Some people say development is better than democracy, but I want to say is that in the context of Bangladesh, China and Singapore are completely different. China has a strong bureaucracy while Bangladesh’s bureaucracy is politically affiliated, loyal to political party instead of national interest. Singapore is a small country which does not depend on agriculture. So, without real democracy, development is impossible in Bangladesh.”
NDM’s core principles are: Bangladeshi nationalism, religious values, the conscience of independence and accountable democracy, as mentioned in the party constitution.
Criticising the prime minister’s recent visit to India and calling the Teesta water sharing treaty a failed project, NDM leaders said that they would work for the interest of the people and the country instead of their own.
Prominent singer Shafin Ahmed, a member of the High Council of NDM, said the party would concentrate on developing the youth, focus on women’s rights, work on the national education policy and introduce professional skills development training.
“The NDM vows to initiate a small and medium loan programme for young entrepreneurs, create new jobs for young professionals and women, universal health care programmes and take effective steps to bring people back from drug addiction and militancy,” Shafin said. http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/politics/2017/04/25/bobby-hajjaj-officially-launches-nationalist-democratic-movement-party/