BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has strongly criticised Jamaat-e-Islami’s recent warning to launch a mass movement over the demand for proportional representation (PR) in elections, calling it a strategic ploy aimed at destabilising the country.
Speaking to reporters after visiting ailing Hifazat-e-Islam leader Maulana Enamul Hasan Faruqi at the Jamia Madania Madrasa in Dhaka’s Baridhara, Rizvi warned that such threats, under the guise of electoral reform, are part of a larger plan to push the nation into turmoil.
“An Islamic political party has declared they will launch an aggressive campaign if their demand for a PR-based election system isn’t met,” Rizvi said. “We view this as a calculated move that could lead the country toward chaos, benefiting no one.”
Over the past 16 to 17 years, Rizvi noted, BNP and other political forces—including many Islamic parties—have long campaigned for democracy but never raised the issue of a proportional electoral system. He questioned the sudden urgency from Jamaat and similar groups, warning it may mislead the public.
“People must know their representatives beforehand,” Rizvi emphasized. “If candidates are unfamiliar to local voters, confusion will spread. This is a dangerous path.”
He went on to allege that Jamaat has forged a covert alliance with the ruling Awami League, labeling it a “defeated force” seeking to regain control through backdoor deals. Rizvi said such tactics could lead to “disastrous consequences” for the nation.
Referring to student union elections like those of DUCSU and JUCSU, Rizvi claimed that some victorious organizations were supported by elements aligned with these so-called defeated forces. He warned that the re-emergence of these groups would be a blow to the country’s future.
“Short-term political games with such defeated powers may backfire. Behind these alliances lies a global force that neither supports Islam nor accepts Bangladesh’s sovereignty as a Muslim-majority country,” he stated.
Rizvi further warned that the return of the Awami League to power could increase political instability and risk nationwide unrest. He cited a recent incident in Sitakunda, Chattogram, where locals apprehended an Awami League supporter, only for Jamaat leaders to allegedly try to secure his release—a move he said raises serious concerns.
“When parties manipulate public trust and exploit people’s sentiments, it undermines democracy and leads to dangerous consequences,” he said.
While reiterating every citizen’s right to express political opinions in a democratic society, Rizvi cautioned against using this right to set political traps. “Those who attempt to deceive others for political gain may eventually fall into the same trap themselves.”
The BNP delegation, led by Rizvi and representing ‘Amar BNP Poribar’, visited Maulana Faruqi on the directive of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. During the visit, they offered financial aid for his medical treatment and pledged continued support to religious scholars.
Earlier in the day, Jamaat-e-Islami unveiled a three-day protest programme to press for its five-point charter, which includes the implementation of the July Charter and a demand to conduct the next general election using the proportional representation system.
As per their plan, protest rallies will take place in Dhaka on September 18, in all divisional cities on September 19, followed by district and upazila-level marches on September 26. The announcement came during a press conference led by Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher at Al Falah Auditorium in Moghbazar.
