BNP secy gen declined invitation for talks over referendum, says Jamaat leader Azad
'We even invited the BNP secretary general, but he refused, saying he would not respond to Jamaat’s call,' he says
The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed willingness to hold talks with the BNP over the party's demand for a referendum ahead of the upcoming national election, but said the BNP declined the offer.
"We have called upon all political parties to join us. We even invited the BNP secretary general, but he refused, saying he would not respond to Jamaat's call," Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad said at a discussion organised by TRACE Consulting at the InterContinental Dhaka today (8 November).
While Jamaat has been vocal in calling for a referendum before the polls, the BNP has opposed the idea and wants it on election day.
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"This attitude is quite reminiscent of certain political behaviours we have seen in the past," the Jamaat leader added.
Referring to the July Charter, Azad said the charter had been signed, but the mechanism for its implementation remained unsettled.
"When the National Consensus Commission submitted its recommendations to the government, disputes arose," he said.
"In a democracy, both dialogue and raising voices on the streets go hand in hand. We are not engaging in violence," he added.
Opposing the proposal to hold the referendum on election day, Azad said public attention during national polls remains focused on political parties and candidates.
"In our country, polling centres are often occupied, or voting is suspended. Later, they might claim that the people have rejected the July Charter," he said.
He added that holding the referendum first would help restore public trust and ensure a fair national election.
He also said, "The fascist-era administration still exists, and public confidence has not yet been restored. If the referendum is held before the polls, public trust in the national election will strengthen."
