The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has termed the demand for holding a referendum before the upcoming national election as an attempt to disrupt the electoral process.
He made the remarks on Friday while addressing a rally in front of the party’s central office in Naya Paltan, ahead of a procession marking the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ on 7 November.
Mirza Fakhrul said that a political coalition has recently mounted pressure on the government to organise a referendum before the next parliamentary election.
He stated that BNP has already made its position clear: if a referendum is to be held, it must take place on the same day as the national election.
Holding two separate votes, he argued, would increase costs and risk creating complications that may hamper the election itself.
He criticised what he described as unnecessary confusion surrounding the referendum issue, noting that discussions on political reforms and the implementation of the July Charter had already been held among political stakeholders over the past several months.
He questioned the rationale behind raising new proposals or seeking further time when earlier dialogues had led to broad consensus.
Mirza Fakhrul said the interim government, which BNP initially supported in the hope of ensuring a fair and inclusive election, now appears to be taking steps that could obstruct the electoral process.
He warned that any move that delays or disrupts the election would not be accepted by the public.
Reiterating BNP’s stance, he said the next national election must be held in February 2026, and if a referendum is to be organised, it should be held on the same day.
He added that BNP is preparing to contest the election and expressed confidence that the party would be able to return to power through the people’s mandate.
He highlighted the party’s commitment to democratic reforms aimed at building a more accountable governance system.
After the rally, a procession started from the Naya Paltan office and moved through Shantinagar, Malibagh, Mouchak, Moghbazar and Bangla Motor before ending near the Sonargaon intersection, joined by leaders and activists from BNP’s central and affiliated bodies.
