'No solution in parliament': Opposition announces launching movement

Alleging that the public mandate has not been reflected within the 13th parliament, the opposition has announced a decision to launch a movement. 

The opposition, formed by an 11-party alliance, said they have decided to "return to the people" directly to realise the demand for "constitutional reform" obtained through a referendum, said Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman at a press conference at the media centre of the National Parliament Secretariat this evening (1 April).

Earlier today, opposition members of parliament walked out of the session in protest against the lack of proper implementation regarding the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order-2025 and the law minister's alleged "misquoting" of the opposition leader.

During the press conference, Shafiqur, ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said, "We sincerely wanted this crisis to be resolved within the House. However, the government has failed to respect our call.

Opposition walks out of parliament over July Charter order, 'misquotation' row

"Since the will of the people was neither honoured nor accepted in parliament, only one path remains and that is to return to the people. We will now go back to the citizens who gave us this mandate, and along with them, we will take the necessary steps to realise the demand for implementing the referendum's verdict."

The opposition leader also criticised the law minister's role in yesterday's session. 

He alleged that the minister had provided misleading information regarding the opposition's stance in parliament.

"The law minister stood up and claimed that the opposition partially agreed to the proposal for a committee regarding constitutional 'amendment'. This is completely untrue. From the very beginning, we have been saying that this must be a 'constitutional reform council'. Reform and amendment are not the same thing," he said.

Shafiqur stated that the opposition had proposed that if the government truly desired reform, the proposed council must include an equal number of members from both the government and the opposition. However, the ruling party objected to this proposal.

The opposition leader further said, "Undoubtedly, we have no other path but a movement. The 11-party alliance will sit together very soon to decide on the details."

Present at the press conference were MP Rafiqul Islam Khan (Sirajganj-4), MP Akhter Hossain (Rangpur-4), and MP Syed Uddin Ahmad Hanzala (Madaripur-1).