Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said that the national election must be held by December this year and asked the party leaders and activists to begin preparations to make sure that the election was held within the timeframe.
He urged the party activists and supporters to engage with the people ahead of the upcoming national election, saying that it was the people who would choose their representatives.
He made the call, addressing a massive youth rally in front of the BNP central office at Naya Paltan in Dhaka.
BNP fronts Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal organised the rally.
鈥業t seems that tactics to delay the next election have already begun or are underway. The future of the election is caught in a whirlpool of the so-called minor and major reform demands,鈥� Tarique said.
He said that people were beginning to believe that some individuals inside and outside the interim government had ulterior motives behind the delay in reforms.
Tarique urged the interim government not to treat democratic citizens and pro-democracy political parties as opponents.
Indicating student advisers to the interim government, he said that if any members of the government wished to remain in power, they should first resign, join the people, contest the election, and return to power by earning people鈥檚 mandate through a democratic process.
Tarique said that, in the past, caretaker governments in Bangladesh had successfully held national election within three months of taking responsibility, proving that holding a national election was possible within such a timeline.
He said that the people wanted to see a government elected through direct vote, accountable to the people, and operating in a fascism-free Bangladesh.
Citing the issue of Ishraque Hossain being prevented from taking oath as Dhaka south city mayor, Tarique compared the current government to the former autocratic regime and accused both of showing blatant disregard for the rule of law and democratic principles.
鈥楾he obstruction of Ishraque鈥檚 assumption of power is a fresh manifestation of the same autocratic mindset,鈥� he said.
Three BNP-affiliated youth organisations launched a month-long programme titled 鈥楨stablishing the Political Rights of the Youth鈥�, with activities held across the country throughout May to mobilise young people in support of democratic rights.
On the final day of the campaign, the rally was scheduled to begin at 3:00pm but young participants began arriving on the rally ground from 11:00am.
Youths from Dhaka, Sylhet, Faridpur, and Mymensingh divisions gathered in large numbers, transforming the area into a human sea.
The participants joined the rally with processions, waving party flags and聽 holding banners, festoons and the portraits of the party founder and late president Ziaur Rahman, party chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
Tarique told the rally that, during the regime of the fugitive autocrat, the nation had witnessed defiance of court rulings and disregard for the judiciary.
The succeeding government, despite public hopes for justice, had regrettably continued to follow the same path of undermining judicial authority.
Tarique questioned how much reform could truly be expected from those who showed no respect for the law or the judiciary.
鈥楻eforming personal mindsets is more important than merely implementing structural reforms,鈥� he said.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain urged the youths to take the lead in establishing a people鈥檚 government through a free, fair and impartial election, which he said would help secure the country鈥檚 independence, sovereignty, democracy, development and peace.
He emphasised on the urgent need to hold the national election without any delay, alleging that fallen autocratic and fascist forces were conspiring at home and abroad to hinder the electoral process.
Mosharraf said that the people and political parties would focus on the election and be able to resist any conspiracies when an election date would be declared.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas described the interim government as a colonial-style administration, alleging that 90 per cent of its members were not even citizens of Bangladesh.
He alleged that the people had received nothing but neglect and disrespect from the government in the past nine months.
He urged the government to offer an apology to the people and step aside.
Abbas claimed that the government鈥檚 intention regarding strategic locations such as Saint Martin Island and Sajek, and infrastructure projects like DP World and Starlink suggested a plan to serve foreign interests.
鈥楧o not think the people of this country fool. The government鈥檚 technological initiatives like Starlink and the corridor will benefit the Arakan Army, not the people of Bangladesh,鈥� he said.
鈥業f the government continues to work in this manner, it will cause more damage than the Awami League did. Therefore, holding elections is essential,鈥� he said.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that the massive gathering of youths reflected a strong public message in favor of democracy.
He emphasised that election was the only legitimate path forward.
He criticised ongoing delays in announcing an election roadmap under the pretext of unresolved reforms, saying that such excuses could no longer hold back the democratic process.
BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed alleged that deliberate attempts were going on to weaken anti-fascist national unity and create divisions among democratic forces.
Referring to the recent discussion on the chief adviser鈥檚 resignation, he clarified that the BNP had only demanded an election roadmap for December, not anyone鈥檚 resignation.
He termed the resignation debate a political drama and said that if advocating for democratic rights was a crime, they were ready to commit it repeatedly.
Presided over by Juba Dal president Abdul Monayem Munna, the rally was addressed, among others, by BNP standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.
The event took place in a festive mood, with participants wearing colourful caps and t-shirts, and chanting slogans.
Prior to beginning the programme formally, artists from Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha entertained the crowd with musical performances.
