Ordinary citizens struggle to understand referendum, says BNP’s Salahuddin

The Consensus Commission committed “intellectual injustice”, he says

Senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has said the questions included in the July National Charter referendum are “beyond comprehension” of ordinary people.

He made the comments on Monday at a seminar at Dhaka University.

Salahuddin said the National Consensus Commission’s recommendation for a public vote on July Charter implementation order is an “intellectual injustice”.

“The recommendation was made beyond what was discussed in the course of the discussions organised by the consensus commission over nine to 10 months,” he said.

Salahuddin said Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus signed the recommendations of the Consensus Commission as its head before and then forwarded them to the government.

“There was a conflict of interest, which I pointed out to an advisor. He should not have been the chair of the commission," said Salahuddin.

“I told an advisor a few days ago that this is a clear conflict of interest. He should not have been the chairman of the commission,” he said.

He argued that state reformations would yield no fruit unless people changed their outlook and mindset.

“Who will enforce new laws and charters? That’s what matters in the end," Salahuddin said.

On the Charter and referendum, Salahuddin said: “Complex questions are asked that ordinary people cannot understand.”

He recalled their recommendation to hold a referendum on the July Charter.

“I have doubts whether a PhD holder can understand the questions included in the referendum,” said Salahuddin.