Only an elected parliament can implement the July Charter, says BNP’s Salahuddin

He warns political parties not to step outside the "legal or constitutional process"

Senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has said only an elected parliament can serve as the legitimate forum to implement the historic July Charter.

On Sunday, he described the Charter as “a historic and comprehensive document of political consensus in national life”.

“Everyone is committed to implementing it, and the definitive forum for that implementation is an elected parliament. No political party disagrees on this,” he said.

Salahuddin added that a proposal or recommendation has already been placed before the government by parliament to ensure that the legislature is bound by law to carry out the July Charter.

“Once that recommendation is given, we will know the process through which the law will be framed,” he said.

Addressing all political parties, he said: “We must not, in any way, go beyond the legal or constitutional process. The nation must be guided through an orderly, lawful course.”

He warned against impulsive calls for revolutionary measures: “Some, out of emotion, say that the people’s aspirations from the July Uprising are being undermined.

“Such statements are emotional. To realise those aspirations, we have all turned to the Constitution -- this government was formed constitutionally and continues to operate lawfully.”

The discussion was held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking the fourth founding anniversary of the Gono Odhikar Parishad.