Salahuddin accuses Jamaat of aligning with forces aiming to derail polls

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday alleged that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is siding with a vested interest group attempting to destabilize the political landscape and obstruct the upcoming national election.

Speaking at a discussion organized by National Democratic Party (NDP) at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking the party’s 36th founding anniversary, Salahuddin hinted that Jamaat’s recent political activities appear to support elements working against a peaceful and timely election.

“We suspect that this political party (Jamaat) is aligning itself with forces that want to create unrest, destabilize the country and delay or derail the next parliamentary polls,” said the BNP leader.

He warned that any disruption to the election process would open the door for fascism and anti-democratic forces to rise again. “Do we want that? Certainly not,” he stated.

Salahuddin criticized Jamaat for taking to the streets with what he described as “irrational demands,” particularly the party’s recent push for introducing a Proportional Representation (PR) system in the next general election.

He reiterated BNP’s opposition to PR model, saying it would bring about political instability, frequent changes in government and a failure to meet public expectations.

“A PR system would mean governments changing constantly. No party would be able to fulfill its political commitments and the public’s demands would remain unmet,” Salahuddin argued.

He also dismissed the validity of recent conflicting survey results regarding the PR system, saying such findings should not be used to mislead citizens. “Voters should not be confused with such statistics. The national interest must come first.”

Highlighting constitutional concerns, the BNP leader pointed to Article 65(2) of the Constitution, which states that Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) shall consist of 300 members elected from single-member constituencies through direct voting. “Yet, Jamaat leaders are claiming that the Constitution is silent on the specific election method. This is misleading,” he said.

Salahuddin cautioned that under a PR system, independent candidates would lose their electoral rights, as people would vote for party symbols rather than individuals. “Voters wouldn’t even know who they are voting for. Is this the kind of system we want, where people’s democratic rights are weakened? Absolutely not.”

He further accused Jamaat of indirectly promoting Awami League’s interests, noting that a party now advocating for PR had previously participated in a one-sided election.

Salahuddin concluded by urging all political parties to prioritize the nation’s welfare over narrow interests. “I call upon those who are sacrificing the people’s interests for short-term political gains; return to the right path. Let us not confuse the public further.”

He reaffirmed BNP’s longstanding demand for a free, fair and inclusive election, saying the people of Bangladesh have been denied their voting rights for the past 16 years.

“We are determined to restore those rights. Through voting, the country’s democratic progress must move forward,” he said.

Salahuddin also stressed the need for accountability in the next parliament, saying those elected must commit to implementing reform agendas developed through national consensus.