BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has questioned why the ruling party avoids elections despite claiming to be confident of forming the next government.
Speaking at a public discussion in Dhaka on Saturday, he said voters—not political parties—will decide who governs and who sits in the opposition.
Addressing the event titled “Tarunner Rastrochintar Tritiyo Sanglap” at the IDEB auditorium in Kakrail, organized by social group Arpon Alok Sangha, Salahuddin criticized repeated “excuses” for not taking part in elections. “If you’re so confident of being the ruling party, why not contest the polls?” he asked, saying such tactics only obstruct democracy. The session was planned and presented by Beethika Binte Hossain.
His comments came in response to remarks made at a rally in Chattogram on Friday, where Muhammad Shahjahan, regional director of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, claimed the party would win enough seats to form the next government, pushing BNP into the opposition. Salahuddin countered that only the people’s votes can determine which party rules or sits in opposition. “Those who do not believe in people’s votes make such statements,” he said.
He also stressed that in a democracy, both the government and the opposition belong to the people. “The opposition is not an enemy but part of the state,” Salahuddin said, warning that no party or organization can survive by taking a “double-faced” approach with the public. “You cannot be both government and opposition at the same time,” he added.
On the issue of proportional representation (PR), Salahuddin said voters would decide through the ballot. “Put your demands in your election manifesto. If the public supports them, they will be implemented. You cannot confuse people with unilateral declarations,” he stated.
Regarding the implementation of the July Charter, Salahuddin said it would be best to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion, as the judiciary’s decision is final under the constitution. He warned that ignoring court rulings would lead to chaos and unsustainable political solutions.
