Chhatra Odhikar Parishad has declared its support for the ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming national referendum while simultaneously demanding the exclusion of the Jatiya Party from next 13th national parliamentary election.
The student organisation accused the Jatiya Party of acting as an associate of the Awami League’s fascist regime over the past several years.
The announcements were made during a press conference held at Dhaka University’s Madhur Canteen premises at 12:30 pm on Thursday.
Speakers at the event asserted that the upcoming referendum represents a vital opportunity for state reform. They argued that a ‘Yes’ vote signifies a stance in favour of democracy, strengthens anti-autocratic forces, and paves the way to prevent the resurgence of fascism in the future.
Sadman Abdullah, President of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad and General Secretary (GS) of the Salimullah Muslim Hall Union, stated that the Jatiya Party was directly involved in “vote robbery, repression, and human rights violations” during the last 17 years.
“Allowing the Jatiya Party to participate in the election means rehabilitating the cronies of fascism,” Abdullah said, adding that the Election Commission and relevant authorities should exclude the party while there is still time. He further urged the Jatiya Party to boycott the election.
The organisation’s Central President, Nazmul Hasan, noted that Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader has publicly taken a stance in favour of a ‘No’ vote, which Hasan claimed is equivalent to supporting the Awami League’s system of governance.
Hasan also criticised the interim government for its failure to ensure justice for the killers of Sharif Osman Hadi.
Additionally, he condemned Salahuddin Ammar, the GS of Rajshahi University Central Student Union (Rucsu), for tearing down banners congratulating Tarique Rahman on being elected Chairman of the BNP from Rajshahi University.
Mohammad Sanaullah Haque, Central General Secretary of the Parishad, argued that the Jatiya Party is as guilty as the Awami League for the crimes committed. He described the government’s decision to allow the Jatiya Party to contest the election as an “act of shamelessness”.
Haque further alleged that while the party admitted to holding secret meetings with India, it failed to disclose the contents of those discussions to the public. He called upon the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Dr Muhammad Yunus, and the Election Commission to cancel the Jatiya Party’s participation in the national polls.
Highlighting the potential outcomes of the referendum, Newaz Khan Bappi, Senior Vice President of the central committee, explained that a victory for the ‘Yes’ vote would facilitate the reinstatement of the caretaker government system, the reform of constitutional institutions, and the imposition of term limits on the premiership.
“If the ‘Yes’ vote wins, no one will be able to serve as Prime Minister for more than two consecutive terms in the future,” Bappi said, noting this would prevent the abuse of power and autocratic tendencies.
In terms of field action, Sadman Abdullah announced plans to campaign for the ‘Yes’ vote across all 300 constituencies. Mohammad Ali Toha, the Office Secretary of the organisation, told TIMES of Bangladesh that coordinators for the country’s eight divisions have been appointed to lead the campaign.
He confirmed that a total of 800 leaders and activists from the organisation will participate in the nationwide campaign activities.
