You are definitely unelected, that to be reminded everyday: BNP leader Salahuddin

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has castigated remarks made by various advisers of the interim government suggesting that the public wants professor Muhammad Yunus’s government for five years.

“You cannot be an alternative to an elected government. You are undeniably unelected. You will be reminded of that every single day," he added.

Salahuddin Ahmed made these remarks as the chief guest at the National Representative Conference 2025 organised by the Bhasani Followers' Council at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon.

Addressing the interim government, the BNP leader said, “If you talk about democracy but move in the opposite direction, if you talk about elections but create confusion around it—how can that be good for democracy? Is this what people expected from a mass uprising? Was this the people’s aspiration?”

Criticising the advisers' comments, Salahuddin said, “When the chief adviser has promised elections by December and the BNP is demanding a roadmap for elections, we now hear from different advisers at different times that the people want them for five years. We've seen many comments demanding the resignation of the home affairs adviser… Has he not seen those?”

He also criticised a statement made by the fisheries and livestock adviser. Salahuddin said, “Yesterday, our Farida Apa—she's an adviser and I have a good personal relationship with her, so I want to keep my criticism minimal—said they are somehow ‘elected.’ How so? Were they elected through a mass uprising by the people? Then why do we even have an election commission in this country?”

Referring again to the interim government's legitimacy, he said, “If a government is changed through a street-based mass uprising, that may well reflect the people's desire. But still, you cannot be an alternative to an elected government. You are unelected, and that fact will be reminded to you daily.”

He also criticised a recent comment made by poet and thinker Farhad Mazhar. Salahuddin said, “Farida Akhter's husband, our brother Farhad Mazhar, said just a few days ago that democracy cannot be established through elections—that it only creates an empire of looters. What more I can say!”

Salahuddin continued, “Thousands of people have been martyred in this country for elections, voting rights, democratic rights, and constitutional rights. There were mass uprisings, and fascism was overthrown. And now you’re rejecting those very elections and voting rights?”

He asked, “Whom are you encouraging? Which undemocratic force are you benefiting midway through the process? For whom is the chief adviser shifting the election date back and forth from December to June and back again? Why can’t he stick to a single position?”

Directing his comments at the chief adviser of the interim government, Salahuddin said, “You are a globally respected and honorable figure. But this back-and-forth on the election timeline—from December to June—will not be viewed favourably by the nation or the international community.”
Salahuddin added, “You held meetings with us. You gave your word.

Everything you’re doing is supposedly aimed at holding elections by December. We sat with the election commission and discussed the timeline. They said all preparations would be complete by June. They are eager to hold the election by December.”

He also brought up the context of the 1/11 political changeover, saying, “We have many experiences—bitter ones. Those who orchestrated 1/11 stayed in power for two years, making many promises. Do you not remember Moinuddin and Fakhruddin from that period? Didn’t they try hard enough to depoliticise the country? I don’t want to say that the current situation is the same, but we are like burned cattle—we fear even a red cloud.”

Salahuddin remarked that the people of Bangladesh launched a democratic mass uprising—particularly led by students and the public—as part of a single-point movement to regain democratic and constitutional rights and to build an equitable state and society.

He continued, “If someone wants to call it a revolution, I must disagree. It wasn’t a social revolution. There was no transformation of economic or social systems. It was a democratic uprising against fascism to restore democratic rights.”

Therefore, Salahuddin emphasised, the BNP wants to establish voting rights as soon as possible to restore democratic rights.

He said, “We want to establish constitutional rights as soon as possible. Our constitution has become diseased. We want to reform and correct it through deeper, more meaningful reforms. Through these structural changes, we aim to build a strong democratic constitution—one that will create a balanced governance system and bring economic emancipation to the people of this country.”

Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque, among others, also spoke at the event.

The Bhasani Followers Council changed its name to “Bhasani Janashakti Party.”

Sheikh Rafiqul Islam, the council’s convener, was named chairman, and Abu Yusuf Selim was made general secretary.