‘If you’re sure of victory, why delay the election?’

BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday questioned why Jamaat-e-Islami is trying to delay the next election through various ploys, including street agitation, if it is so confident about coming to power as its leaders claim.

Speaking at a youth dialogue in the capital, he also criticised Jamaat's demand for banning Jatiya Party and members of the 14-party alliance while the party is now on the streets together with a party that contested the 2024 national election held under Sheikh Hasina's rule.

"There were a few rallies of Jamaat and other parties across the country yesterday [Friday]. Some newspapers carried headlines today [yesterday] saying that Jamaat leaders claimed they will form the government while BNP will sit in opposition. But who decides that? Is it you, or is it the people? If you are so confident, then why don't you join the election instead of making excuses one after another to obstruct it?" the BNP leader said.

He also said BNP knows what Jamaat's real purpose is -- "to derail the national election."

Arpan Alok Sangha organised the 3rd Dialogue on Youth's State of Thought, titled "Human Value-based Education and Campuses", at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.

Salahuddin, a BNP Standing Committee member, also accused Jamaat of showing "double standards", saying the people are noticing who Jamaat has joined in its simultaneous movement for various demands, including introducing a PR system and banning the 14-party alliance and JP.

"Among the seven parties (in Jamaat's movement alliance), one is now your ally that took part in the sham election on January 7, 2024," he said without mentioning the party's name.

"If they are deemed innocent just because they are with you, then what about the 28 others who took part in the dummy election with Awami League? Are they sinners? To suggest that joining you in the simultaneous movement absolves one of past wrongs, while siding with others makes them sinners — this principle is not right," said Salahuddin.

Salahuddin said differences of opinion are part of democracy and any party can take to the streets to realise its demands by exercising democratic rights.

"But we have been saying that these issues are still awaiting settlement at the negotiation table. So, are you taking to the streets to apply extra pressure? If you do, we will also have to go to the streets to counter it. Is that what we want now? We want these matters resolved at the negotiation table," he said.

Salahuddin said political parties need to remain united on national issues, including the country's interests, independence, sovereignty and democracy.

"In democratic practice, there will be debates, differences of opinion and pluralism, but the settlement must come at the dialogue table. If both dialogue and street movement are carried out on the same issue, that is a contradiction," he observed.

The BNP leader said some parties are talking about proportional representation (PR), but it is the people who will decide that.

He urged political parties to include their demands in their election manifestos and contest the polls. "If the people give their verdict in your favour, you can implement them. That is the democratic way."