Commissions, govt to be responsible if July Charter not composed by July: Salahuddin Ahmed
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Friday remarked the interim government and the National Consensus Commission will be responsible if the July Charter is not composed by this July.
He further said an attempt has been going on to blame the BNP that the reforms are not being implemented due to the BNP. But actually, the BNP is making efforts to reach a consensus.
Salahuddin Ahmed was addressing a rally before a silent procession, organised by the Dhaka north city unit of the BNP in the capital’s Pallabi area this afternoon. The silent procession was organised to commemorate the martyrs of the mass uprising of 2024.
He asked who are the people who are now holding discussions at the reform commission, having food and returning in the evening without giving any decision. Some of them had maintained communication with the Awami League at different times. It would be bad luck for the nation if the reform commission had to make a decision hearing their opinions.
The senior BNP Leader stated, “I’m not saying that all of them were with Awami League; some of them were. We forbade (the government), how could we sit with them for discussions on reforms. We have been discussing with them, having food and leaving without making any decision. Today is the 18th of July. The interim government, reform commissions and the National Consensus Commission will be responsible if the July Charter is not composed by this July.”
He took a swipe at those who seek local government elections before the parliamentary one under this interim government, stating that either they want to create confusion or delay the election.
The BNP leader also categorically said the intention of the people, who want proportional representation (PR) in the election, is bad.
Salahuddin Ahmed said those who fanned Awami League with “hand fan” (electoral symbol of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh) for 16 years now state that they do not want election at any level without the PR system. They have been joined by another party that has always done confusing politics in Bangladesh. Once they went against the independence, at another time, they went against the people and yet another time, they went against the people’s sentiment. Now they are trying to fish in troubled waters through their confusing politics.
Without taking the name of any political party the BNP standing committee member said, “Those who are dreaming anew to go to power in Bangladesh, this is good for them. But ours is a struggle to ensure people’s right to vote which will make sure who will go to power.”
“But we will have to remember that if anyone throws an election into uncertainty by deferring that, and wants to stay in power without holding elections or conspire to try to fish in troubled waters, their intention is to rehabilitate the enablers of fascism,” he added.
Salahuddin Ahmed also warned that an attempt has been going on to create division among the pro-Bangladesh forces that united in the democratic movement against fascism.
Dhaka north city unit BNP convener Aminul Haque presided over the rally where party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s adviser Mahadi Amin, Jatiyatabadi Swechhasebok Dal president SM Jilani, Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal president Hasan Arif, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal general secretary Nurul Islam, Dhaka north city BNP member secretary Mostofa Zaman and Chhatra Dal general secretary Nasir Uddin, among others, addressed the event.
The party leaders and activists gathered in front of the BRTC bus depot at Mirpur around 3:00 pm. From there they brought out the procession that paraded through Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10, Kazipara and ended at Shewrapara.