The National Citizens Committee (NCC) and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) on Wednesday called for forging national consensus to abrogate 1972 Constitution framed during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's rule and remove President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
The call was given at a joint press conference held at the Central Shaheed Minar at 7:15pm, addressed by NCC convener Nasir Uddin Patwari and ADSM coordinator Hasnat Abdullah on current political crisis.
Nasir asserted that a general election is irrelevant until the remnants of fascism are completely eradicated from the country.
He said, "If any political party does not join our national unity, we will build a coalition with the people and find a solution on the streets to root out fascism. We still see autocrats at Bangabhaban. We are calling for a broader unity in the larger interest of the country and the people."
Asked about the next President, Nasir said that no decision has been taken, and that it should be resolved politically.
He said that a candidate supported by all and acting in accordance with the spirit of the July Revolution would be chosen.
He said the removal of the President does not require a roundtable meeting, adding, "We have brought down the autocratic government.
Therefore, even if no political party joins us, we will resolve the issues of the constitution and the presidency with the people on the streets."
In response to a question about elections, he reiterated, "Fascism has not yet been eradicated from the country. As long as fascism is not completely eliminated, the question of elections would remain irrelevant."
Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah said that the birth of autocracy was a result of the 1972 Constitution.
"We must discard this constitution to strengthen the spirit of our uprising. After the uprising, the 1972 Constitution cannot remain. No one who stood against autocracy can support this constitution. All the political parties must unite to write a new constitution to prevent any autocratic regime from rising again," said Hasnat Abdullah.
Hasnat, however, supported the recent protests in front of Bangabhaban but criticised the processes for achieving their demands, urging everyone to unite and protest strongly rather than acting in a fragmented manner.
Issuing an ultimatum for banning of Bangladesh Chhatra League, he described it as a terrorist organisation, calling for it to be banned within the next 24 hours.
"They are still holding rallies in various places, including wearing masks on Dhaka University campus. Wherever you see them, you must resist them strongly from a moral standpoint," Hasnat said.
The press conference was attended by NCC members Manjur Al Matin, Ariful Islam Adib, Umama Fatema and Abdul Hannan Masud, among others.
