Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday said that statecraft was not a child鈥檚 play and the fate of 18 crore people should not be treated lightly.
The BNP would never bow to schemes of any political party, he went on to say.
To those parties who are sacrificing the national interest and the people鈥檚 interest for their own narrow political aims and base motives, I will say return to the right path in the interest of the people of Bangladesh and do not mislead the public,鈥� he said.
He indicated the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and some other parties who were demanding proportional representation in the forthcoming elections.
He made the remarks while speaking at the 36th founding anniversary of the National Democratic Party at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Dhaka.聽聽
The event was chaired by NDP chair Abdullah Al Harun.
Salahuddin criticised calls for the PR system, describing it as a recipe for 鈥榩ermanent restlessness鈥� that would breed chronic instability.
Citing examples of other countries, he predicted that the PR methods could lead to short-lived governments and an inability to implement policies, warning that Bangladesh must avoid a system in which simple majorities could not form a stable government.
Recent public surveys, Salahuddin said, showed that 56 per cent of the people did not understand the proposed PR system and that it should not be imposed.
He also accused the parties demanding proportional representation of trying to delay the next parliamentary elections for their own partisan advantage.
Salahuddin further said that any delays in the elections could create opportunities for anti-democratic, even fascist, forces to re-emerge.
Over the past 16 years, the BNP and the people of Bangladesh struggled to regain voting rights, which were essential for the country鈥檚 democratic journey, he said.
He observed that by exercising these rights, the people would independently empower a future political government, and those elected to the Jatiya Sangsad would be accountable for implementing the reforms agreed under the National Consensus Commission.
Salahuddin clarified that while some promises could be implemented immediately, certain constitutional provisions required the next parliament and the formal amendment process for full implementation.
The BNP leader, in his address, condemned Israel鈥檚 obstruction of the humanitarian convoys to Gaza and urged the United Nations and the international community to assume a responsible role.
He said that the Bangladesh government and people stand with the Palestinian population and appealed for urgent action from the international community in this regard.