BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged that those advocating for a proportional representation (PR) system and prioritising local government elections may have ulterior motives to delay or obstruct the upcoming national elections.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday after attending a memorial event for late president Ziaur Rahman and the inauguration of an archive organised by Bangladesh Research, Analysis, and Information Network (BRAIN) at the International Mother Language Institute, Salahuddin remarked: “Those pushing for proportional representation have an agenda. Similarly, those demanding local elections before national polls also have motives – either to delay elections or prevent Bangladesh from holding any elections at all.”
The BNP leader asserted that the people of Bangladesh are united in demanding national elections by early February next year.
“The pro-democracy citizens of this country did not struggle for local elections. For 17 years, we’ve fought for free, fair, and impartial national elections. We’ve sacrificed countless lives to establish voting rights,” he said.
Salahuddin emphasised that the sacrifices made during the student-led mass uprising reflect the nation’s aspiration for true democracy. “A credible national election leading to a political government will enable us to build that democratic state.”
He referenced the London meeting between Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, noting their joint statement proposing elections one week before Ramadan in February 2026.
“This will only materialise when the chief adviser formally communicates the decision to the Election Commission. Only when his office or the EC officially announces the schedule will we truly believe the elections will happen as proposed,” Salahuddin concluded.