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Student Movement Against Discrimination and Jatiya Nagarik Committee on Wednesday jointly called for national unity for the removal of the president and the cancellation of the constitution, while a small group on the day demonstrated in front of the Bangabhaban.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, however, said that it was not in favour of the president’s removal at this time as it could delay the democratic transition as well as the national election.

Party’s standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed spoke about his party’s position on the matter following a meeting with the chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, in the afternoon.

Student Movement Against Discrimination and Jatiya Nagarik Committee, meanwhile, called for unity of all parties on the matter at a joint press conference held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the evening.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Contradicting the BNP statement that said removal of the president at this moment would trigger political and constitutional crisis, Jatiya Nagarik Committee convener Muhammad Nasiruddin Patwary said that political crisis would rather occur if the president would be allowed to continue in office.

Having called the 1972 constitution as the Awami constitution, he stressed the formulation of a new constitution that would reflect people’s true aspirations.

The five-point demand from the Student Movement Against Discrimination is the charter for transforming the mass uprising to revolution, said its convener Hasnat Abdullah.

They said that they were calling on all political parties except Awami League, Jatiya Party, Awami League-led 14-party alliance and other parties that were associated with Awami League in establishing fascism to forge unity.

Fascism was not fully eradicated, Hasnat said, adding that many political parties still wanted to see Mohammed Shahabuddin as president.

He said that after meeting with the chief adviser, various political parties wanted to retain Shahabuddin for the sake of the constitution.

Those who were in favour of popular uprising could not be in favour of the 1972 constitution, he said.

He also brought into attention the recent statement of BNP vice chairman Samsuzzman Dudu that restoring democracy was not possible without removal of the president.

ÌýSamsuzzman Dudu made the remark at a programme in front of the National Press Club.

Questioning the two different statements of the two BNP leaders on the issue, Hasnat said that BNP high-ups should make clear their position in this regard and then the next course of the discussion would be fixed.

He said that the existing constitution should be cancelled immediately and a new constitution should be formulated in the context of the 2024 mass uprising.

He said that Awami League’s student front Chhatra League should be banned for life as a terrorist organisation within this week and president Shahabuddin must be deposed within this week.

Calling upon the political parties, he said that a permanent solution should be found to the Bangladesh issue and national unity should be forged for this purpose.

‘If any political party does not join the national unity, we will exclude them and build unity with the people and solve it on the streets against fascism. We still see a fascist in Bangabhaban. We are calling for greater unity for the repeal of the constitution and the removal of the president for the greater good of the country and people,’ Hasnat said.

Some protesters on Tuesday tried to intrude the Bangabhaban premises by breaking security barricades, prompting the law enforcement personnel to explode sound grenades which, in turn, instigated some protesters to attack the police.

On Wednesday law enforcement agencies, particularly the Bangladesh Army and Armed Police Battalion beefed up Bangabhaban’s security with several groups seen demonstrating near the entrance for the second day, demanding the president’s resignation.Ìý

A few people resumed a sit-in programme there on Wednesday morning with crowds growing around them over the day.

The group later in the evening announced their platform’s name as Phasibader Dosor Mukti Committee (committee for liberation from the aides of fascism).

The platform’s spokesperson Al Amin Atia told reporters that they would continue their ‘peaceful’ demonstration until the president resigned.ÌýÌý

In the afternoon, around 50 members of Ziaur Rahman Samajkalyan Parishad rallied around the Bangabhaban area.

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Information adviser to the interim government and student leader Nahid Islam, meanwhile, at the Secretariat told reporters on the day that a decision regarding the president’s removal could be reached through political discussions and national unity, rather than following legal or constitutional means.

He also called on everyone to remain calm and cautious.

‘We have received the message from the people, and the interim government is consulting all stakeholders. A decision may be forthcoming after these discussions,’ he said.

‘At this moment, the president’s staying in office is not a legal or constitutional matter, it is a political decision,’ he stated.

‘In making the decision regarding the president, we are prioritising stability, security, and discipline within the state,’ he added.

He said that there was no need for demonstrations in front of Bangabhaban or elsewhere.

‘We have heard the people’s message, and a decision must be reached through discussion,’ he asserted.

Nahid also mentioned that there were conspiracies both at home and abroad, urging student protesters to remain vigilant and calm in this context.

In response to another question, Nahid said, ‘The students have issued an ultimatum. We are currently engaged in discussions on our end, though there is no specific timeline for this process. We will continue our efforts and once we reach a logical decision, we will inform everyone.’

Nahid stressed that the decision must prioritize the state and its citizens.

At a media briefing, meanwhile, the chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam said that the interim government affirmed that no decision had yet been reached regarding the president’s removal, adding that the media would be informed in due time if any decision was taken.

‘Political parties are our stakeholders. This [Wednesday’s meeting with BNP] is part of an ongoing dialogue with political parties. You will know in due course of time if there is any decision,’ he said.

Amid the controversy triggered by a remark by president Mohammed Shahabuddin that he had no documentary evidence of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, the student’s platform on Tuesday announced a five-point demand.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

The five-point demand includes—immediate repeal of the constitution and formulation of a new constitution in the context of the 2024 mass uprising; banning of Chhatra League for life as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by this week; resignation of president Shahabuddin by this week; ‘Proclamation of the Republic’ in the light of the ‘July Revolution’ within this week; Declaration of the 10th, 11th and 12th parliamentary elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024 respectively as illegal and confiscation of the assets of those elected in these three elections and banning them for life from contesting in any elections.

Convener of the Students Movement Against Discrimination central committee Hasnat Abdullah, among others, attends a press conference, calling for the national unity for the removal of the president and the cancellation of the constitution, at the Central Shaheed Minar on Dhaka University campus on Wednesday. Ìý— ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· photo