BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has questioned why some political parties, despite expressing confidence in becoming the ruling party, were avoiding elections and instead creating obstacles with repeated excuses.
Indicating the recent street protests by Jamaat-e-Islami, he said, “If you are so confident that you will be the government, why don’t you join the polls? Today one excuse, tomorrow another – why are you trying to obstruct the election? We know your purpose.”
He made the remarks on Saturday at a discussion titled “Thoughts of Youths on State – Dialogue 3: Education and Campuses with Human Values”.
Criticising movements in the streets while dialogue is continuing, he said, “It is contradictory to hold discussions at the table and agitations on the ground at the same time”.
Referring to reports and comments about possible post-election alignments, he said, “Some are saying Jamaat-e-Islami will form the government and BNP will go to the opposition. But who decides that—political parties or the people? It is the people who will decide.”
On the interim government, Salahuddin noted that questions about whether it is constitutional, revolutionary or in-between were being raised with ill motives.
“If such debates create a constitutional crisis, the beneficiaries will be fallen autocrats or unconstitutional forces. Why should we push the state towards that?” he said.
Calling for unity, Salahuddin said, “Let us not create any crisis. We must uphold the anti-fascist national unity and turn it into strength. Through democratic practices we will build a strong democratic state and establish equality and justice.”
On the role of student leaders in government, he observed that the including student representatives in ruling responsibilities was not a wise decision.
“They could have stayed as a pressure group guiding the nation. Now they are having to take liabilities on every issue,” he added.
