Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has warned that the country may face unrest if the July Charter or the outcome of a referendum is not implemented.
He said political and constitutional disputes should be resolved through discussions in parliament, but warned that his party would take to the streets if the issues were pushed beyond parliamentary debate.
“We want all political and constitutional debates to take place in parliament. But if those debates are pushed onto the streets, we will have no alternative but to launch a movement,” Porwar said.
He made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled “Challenges in implementing the people’s verdict of the referendum: The role of lawyers in overcoming them” at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The seminar was organised by the Ainjibi Oikya Parishad.
Referring to the possibility of street protests, Porwar said, “We will have to go to the streets where 70 per cent of voters are.”
The Jamaat leader also criticised BNP, saying the party once promoted the slogan “Bangladesh First”, but now appeared to be putting “BNP first”.
He alleged that the BNP is avoiding full implementation of the July Charter because it would prevent the return of what he described as authoritarian practices, politicisation and institutional control similar to those during the Awami League’s rule.
Porwar also questioned the BNP’s position on constitutional reform, saying the party’s 31-point reform proposal had called for the formation of a commission to review the Constitution.
“But now they are talking about amending the Constitution without forming a commission. Isn’t this a contradiction? Is this honesty?” he said.
The seminar included a keynote paper presentation by Muhammad Belayet Hossain. Special guests included Jasim Uddin Sarker, Matiur Rahman Akand, MP Mir Ahmad Bin Qasem, MP Tasmiya Pradhan and Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir.
The event was chaired by Yusuf Ali and moderated by Saifur Rahman and AKM Rezaul Karim Khondaker.
