Senior BNP leader Amir Khosru has urged the interim government to swiftly release an election roadmap, emphasizing the need to reassure the people that the country is progressing towards elections and the restoration of democracy.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Khosru warned that the absence of a clear election roadmap has fueled uncertainty among the public, which could undermine the future of both democracy and the electoral process.
In his statement following a meeting with Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) at the BNP Chairperson's office in Gulshan, Khosru, a member of BNP's Standing Committee, expressed concern over the public's growing apprehension about when they will be able to regain democratic governance through elections.
"People are unsure when they will get back their rightful ownership of this country through a fair election. Therefore, it is crucial to present a roadmap for the election without further delay to assure the public that we are on the path to restoring democracy," he stressed.
The meeting was part of BNP's ongoing engagement with like-minded political parties to discuss the upcoming election. Khosru, along with fellow BNP leaders Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Barkatullah Bulu, met with a 10-member delegation from BJP led by Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha.
The discussions centered around formulating a national charter based on agreed-upon reforms, which Khosru insisted should form the foundation of the country’s electoral process.
"The government should move forward with the election process after establishing a national charter based on the consensus reached among political parties regarding reforms," Khosru said.
He emphasized that there is no intention to impose a monolithic political ideology, likening the situation to the authoritarian concept of Baksal, which he said would not work in Bangladesh’s democratic framework.
"Different parties will have different philosophies and thoughts, which will naturally lead to differences of opinion," he added.
Khosru also noted that there should be no room for reforms beyond the points of consensus already agreed upon by political parties.
"Any changes outside of this consensus should be made through the democratic process, the electoral process, and with the people’s mandate," he stated.
He questioned why reforms that had already reached consensus were not being presented to the public and urged the authorities to provide clarity.
The BNP leader further mentioned that all political parties had submitted their reform proposals a considerable time ago and the discussions had already concluded. He urged the government to swiftly identify where consensus had been reached and make those points known to the nation.
"It should not take more than a week to finalize and inform the public about the consensus we have achieved. From there, we can sign the charter and proceed with preparations for the elections," Khosru explained.
Khosru emphasized the need for immediate action, stating that both internal and external preparations for the election were essential. He pointed out that during a recent investment summit, a common question raised by participants was when the election would take place.
BJP Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha reiterated that their position remains clear: a national charter should be drawn up based on the reforms that have been agreed upon, and the country should move forward with the election process. He argued that although political parties may have varying views on several issues, the election should not be delayed simply because of a desire for unanimous agreement on all matters.
In response to a question about the timing of the election, Partha stated that it is possible to hold the election before December, underscoring the urgency for an electoral roadmap.
"The people now demand an electoral roadmap without further delay. The government should focus on this issue without procrastination," he added.
This was the first meeting between BNP and BJP in six years. Partha had left the BNP alliance following the 2018 election, in disagreement with the party's decision to join parliament.
Since April 17, BNP has been engaging in discussions with its alliance partners to determine their next course of action.
