National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam, also the opposition chief whip, has declared that the Parliament “holds no value” unless its members take an oath as members of the Reform Council.
Speaking on Thursday afternoon at the anniversary programme of Jatiyo Chhatra Shakti, held at the Bangladesh Agricultural Institute in Khamarbari, Nahid stated that the public mandate in the referendum was specifically for reform.
He argued that the recent election was not held merely to form a parliament, but to operationalise it as a Reform Council.
‘Defiance of public mandate’
Nahid accused the ruling party of positioning itself against the public will from the very first day of their oaths.
He alleged that despite a referendum order requiring members to take the oath as Reform Council members on the same day, the government avoided this by citing constitutional pretexts, a tactic he compared to the Awami League.
The NCP convener further alleged interference in the judicial process, claiming the Chief Prosecutor of the Tribunal was removed without any charges and that witnesses are being pressured and threatened.
“We are highly doubtful whether a fair trial process can occur under this government,” he remarked.
Regarding the economy, Nahid sharply criticised the removal of the former Bangladesh Bank Governor and the subsequent appointment of a “loan defaulter businessman” to the post.
He claimed that while approximately Tk30 trillion was looted and laundered abroad during the previous regime, the government is now allegedly attempting to occupy the central bank to protect loan defaulters and disrupt the recovery of stolen funds.
He demanded the immediate removal of the current Governor and the appointment of a “skilled, qualified, and honest” replacement.
Threat of street protests
Nahid warned that if the parliament is not allowed to function as a Reform Council or if the space for debate is restricted, the struggle will return to the streets.
“We will not allow the rise of any new autocracy in Bangladesh,” he asserted, adding that any such attempt would have to happen over “our lives”.
July Uprising and Public Welfare Addressing rumours regarding the re-investigation of police deaths during the July mass uprising, Nahid insisted that the priority must be ensuring justice for the “July warriors” who were killed or injured.
He warned that reopening settled issues would force the public back into street protests.
Additionally, he urged the government to address the hike in commodity prices during the month of Ramadan and called for measures to ensure transport tickets are available at fair prices without black-marketing during Eid.
Addressing Jatiyo Chhatra Shakti, Nahid charged the student wing with ensuring that universities do not become “nurseries for autocracy” and that student halls are no longer subjected to the “gonoroom” or “guestroom” culture.
He also called on them to stand by the families of martyrs and the injured.
