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Published : 16 Sep 2025, 12:29 AM
BNP’s senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has claimed that the demand for elections under the proportional representation (PR) system is part of a “well-thought-out master plan”.
Speaking at an event on Monday afternoon, he said a political party had warned of launching protests if elections were not held under the system, though he did not name the party.
“Bringing this issue so prominently, bringing it up so early, I believe, is part of a careful master plan. It will bring no good for anyone,” he added.
The party’s senior joint secretary general visited Baridhara’s Jamia Madania Madrasa where a delegation from “Amra BNP Poribar” met a cancer patient Enamul Hasan Faruki. On behalf of Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, cash assistance was handed to him
While there, Rizvi said over the past 16–17 years, many have struggled for democracy. He added that Islamic political parties did not raise this issue of proportional voting back then. “Why is it being made so serious now?
“If local people cannot recognise their representative beforehand, they will be confused. They will not know who represents them. For instance, if Zunaid Al Habib contests in an area but is not known there, how will people judge who he is? What is his background, was he a banker, a scholar, or something else? People must know their representatives.”
He also referred to the country’s history of resistance, saying: “Who led the anti-British struggle here? This is the land of Haji Shariatullah, of Pir Mohsin Uddin Dudu Mia, of Nisar Ali Titumir. Their sacrifices and martyrdom sparked the first resistance against the British on this soil. You cannot erase Islam, you cannot abolish madrasas or block Islamic education.”
Rizvi added, “They tried repeatedly. Whenever they came to power, they attempted to create a counter-narrative against Islamic education, against madrasas, against our Islamic scholars. But they failed to sustain that narrative.”
Speaking on the DUCSU and JUCSU elections, he said: “In recent university elections, we observed what happened behind the scenes. After an election, analysis shows that supporters of the defeated forces end up voting for a student organisation that won.
“Why is that happening?” he asked. “It’s a worrying sign.”
“If the defeated forces make a comeback, it will be unfortunate for all. Those seeking a political gain secretly conspiring with them will not benefit anyone.
“A larger force behind the defeated group does not tolerate Islam and does not want Bangladesh to exist independently, as this is a Muslim-majority country,” he added.
