Keeping the constitution above everything, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is willing to make maximum compromises for the upcoming election scheduled for February next year.
Expressing its intention not to accept any imposition from the National Consensus Commission, the party believes that consensus on key issues can only be reached through talks, not other means, insiders say.
Such decisions were taken during a meeting of the Standing Committee, the highest policy-making body of the party, with BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually in the chair.
“The July Charter can no way be placed above the Constitution. We are dead against such a move, and we are also against the proportional representation system election,” said a Standing Committee member who wished to remain anonymous.
Talking to TIMES of Bangladesh, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said several issues were raised in the meeting.
“In the interest of this election, BNP is ready to make some compromises. We want a fair election,” he said, adding that solutions to any problem can only be achieved through talks.
He said BNP is striving to free the country from fascism and move towards democracy. “Unfortunately, some political quarters are intentionally raising new demands to disrupt the election process. A fair election in February will resolve all the issues in due course,” he said.
“We have seen that whenever a change occurs, others take advantage of the situation. The longer the delay, the greater the opportunity for undemocratic forces to rise,” he added.
Meeting sources said BNP wants to move forward with discussions with like-minded parties and coalition members in the interest of the upcoming elections. The party has decided to address the conspiracy to sabotage the election, which has been carefully orchestrated by a vested quarter.
Tarique Rahman directed party leaders to start preparations for the election campaign targeting February. He advised maintaining constant communication with the government for a free, fair, and impartial election and to work with political parties involved in a joint movement against the ousted Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.
A senior leader present at the meeting told TIMES of Bangladesh that discussions on the July Charter would continue.
“Some modifications and additions are under review. Once discussions with the commission begin, the party’s stance on unresolved issues will be presented, along with reasoned arguments,” said the leader.
Insiders say BNP does not want the July Charter to be placed above the Constitution. In that case, the party may focus on implementing the charter through ordinances or executive orders instead of amending the constitution.
After the election, the government in power will resolve any unresolved issues in the new parliament.
BNP believes that there is no reason for implementing the July Charter through a referendum or the Constituent Assembly.
The July Charter represents a political commitment by the parties to the people, and the commitments made during the commission’s meetings will be stronger than the law itself.
Therefore, there is no need for mutual trust or distrust among the parties. BNP does not want to engage in conflict with those advocating for the July Charter to be given legal status and for the PR system. The party believes that the final decision can be reached through dialogue, they said.
On the July Charter, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, “Some provisions of the charter have seemed unreasonable to BNP. The party will try
to present all its concerns before the commission during the talks.”