Interim government not the alternative to an elected one, says BNP leader Salahuddin

The CA’s ‘December or June’ statement about the election is not appreciated by the international community, he says

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has said an unelected government can never be an alternative to an elected government, and he will remind the interim government of this every day.

Speaking at discussion meeting at the National Press Club on Sunday, BNP Standing Committee member claimed the chief advisor's statement of “sometimes December, sometimes June” regarding the elections is not being viewed well by the “public and the international community”.

Salahuddin said, “Whenever we raise the demand for the election roadmap promised by the chief advisor by December, at different times we hear different advisors saying people want them for five years.

“The home advisor said this a few days ago.

“Yesterday [Saturday] our advisor Farida claimed to be an elected government. How did the people elect them through a mass uprising?

“Why does this country even have an Election Commission? Governments here change through uprisings on the streets — that is clearly the will of the people.

“But you, as the interim government, are not an alternative to an elected one. You are unelected, and you’ll be reminded of that every day.”

Reiterating the demand for early elections, Salahuddin said: “We want to establish our democratic, voting, and constitutional rights as soon as possible.

“Our constitution has been attacked, and we want a strong democratic constitution through appropriate reforms and amendments to the state structure.”

The BNP leader spoke at the discussion meeting of the Bhashani Onushari Porishod National Representative Conference at the National Press Club.

At the conference, the organisation announced its debut as a new political party named “Bhasani Janashakti Party”.

The names of the 121-member central committee were announced with Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu as the chairman and Abu Yusuf Selim as the secretary-general.

DEMOCRACY THROUGH UPRISING

Salah Uddin said, “Farhad Mazhar gave a speech mentioning democracy is not established through elections, only a society of voters is established.

‘‘For the elections, the right to vote, and restoration of democratic and constitutional rights, thousands of people in the country were martyred.

“There was a mass uprising and fascism was overthrown – you are denying that right to vote. Who are you encouraging?”

He said, “You [chief advisor] promised us all your activities are being conducted with the aim of the elections in December.

“I don’t know why everyone in favour of democracy is not speaking out in support of it.

"To regain the democratic and constitutional rights, to establish a non-discriminatory state and social system, the students staged a mass uprising.

“It would be regrettable if someone wants to call it a revolution. This is not a social revolution.

“There was no revolution to change the economic and social system. A democratic student mass uprising against fascism was organised to regain democratic rights.”