Shafique invites Tarique to public debate on election manifestos

Staff Reporter :

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Friday invited BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman to join him on a public platform for a live discussion, proposing that both leaders present their respective election manifestos directly before the nation and allow voters to judge their visions.

In a Facebook post, Shafiqur said the invitation followed the launch of Tarique Rahman’s election plan. “Now that you have launched your plan, I invite you to join me on a public platform for a live discussion, where we can present our respective manifestos to the nation and let the people decide,” he wrote.

Framing the proposal as an effort to reshape political norms, the Jamaat ameer called for what he described as a new political culture grounded in respect for the popular will. “Let us begin a new chapter for Bangladesh, where we all commit to respecting the will of the people,” the post said.

Shafiqur stressed that political legitimacy, in his view, can only be derived from a credible electoral process. “Legitimacy comes only from a free and fair election. Without fairness and public trust, no result can command the confidence of the people,” he added.

Referring to the July Uprising, he said political leaders had a responsibility to young people to demonstrate that politics could be civil, reasoned and non-confrontational. He urged leaders to engage openly before citizens and the media, arguing that public debate would help restore trust in democratic processes.

“Let us stand before the media and public scrutiny and set the standard for future governance which is open to criticism, accountable and transparent,” Shafiqur wrote.

The invitation comes amid intensified pre-election campaigning, with major parties unveiling manifestos and positioning themselves on issues of electoral credibility, accountability and democratic reform. It remains unclear whether the BNP chairman will respond to or accept the proposal for a public debate.