BNP Accuses Interim Government of Delaying National Election
In a recent statement, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), accused the interim government of creating a situation that could delay the national election. This accusation was made during a speech delivered before inaugurating the party’s rally marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
Fakhrul emphasized that the people of Bangladesh will not accept anything other than holding the national election and the referendum on the July National Charter on the same day in February next year. He expressed his disappointment that the interim government, which the BNP fully supported, is now creating obstacles for the election process.
He further alleged that some political parties are pushing for a separate referendum, which could potentially disrupt the national election. Fakhrul warned that if there is a referendum, it must be held on the same day as the election, and the election should take place in February 2026. Otherwise, the people of Bangladesh will not accept any other arrangement.
The BNP leader also mentioned that the party extended full support to the interim government when it started working on reforms and preparing the National Charter. He highlighted that for almost a year, the government worked on drafting the Charter. On October 17, all political parties signed the document based on consensus reached through the National Consensus Commission.
However, Fakhrul alleged that later, Consensus Commission Vice Chair Dr Ali Riaz, along with the Chief Adviser, introduced new proposals and recommendations that excluded several agreed points from the signed Charter. This move, according to Fakhrul, undermined the consensus achieved earlier.
Fakhrul also criticized Jamaat and some other political parties for pressuring to hold the referendum before the election. He questioned why there should be a referendum before the election, stating that the BNP has agreed to the referendum but it must be held on the same day as the election. He argued that holding two separate votes would cost a lot of money and disrupt the main national election.
Conspiracies Against Democracy
Mirza Abbas, a Standing Committee Member of BNP, also spoke at the event. He accused Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami of conspiring against the country’s independence and sovereignty. Abbas urged Jamaat to stop all conspiracies aimed at delaying the election and the restoration of democracy.
He warned that BNP leaders and activists would resist such efforts on the streets if necessary.
Mass Rally Celebrates National Revolution and Solidarity Day
Later, thousands of leaders and workers of BNP’s Dhaka South and North units took out a massive rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office on the occasion of National Revolution and Solidarity Day. The event commemorated the “civil-military uprising” of November 7, 1975.
The rally, which began around 4pm, ended at the Sonargaon Hotel intersection after parading through Shantinagar, Malibagh, Mouchak, Moghbazar, and Bangla Motor. Participants carried portraits and posters of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. They waved the party’s flags and the ‘sheaf of paddy’, its election symbol.
Efforts to Undermine Democracy
Fakhrul highlighted the ongoing efforts to destroy democracy in the country. His remarks underscored the BNP’s commitment to ensuring that the national election and the referendum on the July National Charter are held simultaneously in February 2026. The party remains determined to protect the democratic process and prevent any attempts to disrupt it.