The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday expressed disappointment over a government statement released after meetings with political parties, saying it did not include a clear plan for the upcoming national election.
At a press conference at the party chair鈥檚 office at Gulshan in the city, party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain once again demanded an immediate road map for a free, fair and neutral national election by December 2025, saying that otherwise it would be difficult for the party to continue its cooperation with the interim government.
Leaders of the BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party separately met with chief adviser Professor Mohammad Yunus at his official residence, Jamuna, on May 24.
On the following day, the chief adviser held meetings with representatives of 20 more political parties.
鈥榃e are disappointed that the government鈥檚 statement about the discussions with the BNP and other political parties, issued through the press secretary of the chief adviser, does not include a clear road map for the national parliamentary elections,鈥� Khandaker Mosharraf said.
The BNP also criticised the advisory council statement issued on May 24, which claimed that unreasonable demands and disruptive activities were hindering the government鈥檚 normal functioning environment and creating confusion and suspicion among the public.
鈥榃e have observed that the statement presented to the nation on May 24, following the National Economic Council meeting and through the advisory council鈥檚 announcement, is vague and misleading,鈥� Mosharraf said during the press conference.
He said that from the beginning, the BNP had extended the highest level of cooperation in supporting the responsibilities of the advisory council.
Public doubts and suspicion were naturally arising due to a lack of neutrality and weaknesses in governance, he said.
Mosharraf also said that the government鈥檚 claim 鈥� unreasonable demands and unauthorised statements by various groups were disrupting normal functioning 鈥� was actually a reflection of the government鈥檚 own shortcomings.
The advisory council鈥檚 statement mentioned, 鈥楿nder the provocation of defeated forces and as part of a foreign conspiracy, efforts are being made to make the government鈥檚 responsibilities impossible to carry out.鈥�
The leader claimed that only a prompt, fair and neutral national election could put an end to the provocation by defeated forces and any foreign conspiracies.
The party stressed that providing a clear road map for holding the election without delay was essential, which had no alternative.
Mosharraf also mentioned that a broader national unity against fascism was crucial to maintain stability, advance the processes of election, justice, and reform, and to permanently prevent the return of autocracy in the country.
鈥榃e always oppose and pledge to resist any actions that disrupt the government鈥檚 identity, reform efforts, judicial process, fair elections and normal functioning. Yet the advisory council鈥檚 statement makes a vague allegation that some groups are making it impossible for them to carry out their entrusted responsibilities,鈥� he said.
He said that the BNP had called for the removal of controversial advisers in order to preserve the government鈥檚 neutrality and integrity to prevent division among the political, social and professional groups that took part in the July student-mass uprising and to strengthen unity.
The BNP leader mentioned that the people of the country had shed their blood in a mass uprising to establish the rule of law by overthrowing fascism, but recent actions by the government had created public doubt about its commitment to that goal.
Demanding that necessary steps be taken without further delay to arrange the oath-taking of Ishraque Hossain as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, Mosharraf said that although the court had issued a ruling in Ishraque鈥檚 favour, the government had yet to take any initiative in this regard.
鈥楩or the sake of maintaining national stability, preventing a deterioration in the law and order, keeping essential commodity prices within the people鈥檚 purchasing capacity, and boosting investment and trade, we all expect the government to run the state based on national consensus,鈥� the BNP leader added.
Among the BNP standing committee members, Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selima Rahman, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed were present at the press conference.
