Nahid warns BNP of ‘another mass uprising’
Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament, on Saturday warned the ruling BNP that continued obstruction of reforms could trigger another mass uprising. He accused the party of following what he called the “autocratic path” of the ousted Awami League.
Speaking at a national rally of July uprising martyrs’ families and veterans at Suhrawardy Udyan, organized by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami to demand implementation of the July Charter in line with a public referendum, Nahid said BNP has consistently blocked meaningful reform since the original mass uprising.
“After the mass uprising, BNP has obstructed reform at every step. Even when they joined the Consensus Commission, they registered dissent on every major reform proposal,” he said.
Nahid also accused BNP of reneging on its commitment to a public referendum. “The very party born through a referendum is now repudiating it after the mass uprising. In doing so, BNP is essentially repudiating its own existence,” he said.
He cautioned that attempts to re-partisan state institutions mirrored the Awami League’s past methods. “If BNP tries to take this country down the old autocratic road, the people, especially the youth and students who participated in the mass uprising, will rise again,” Nahid warned.
On governance, he criticized the government for offering family cards and farmer cards while ignoring a deepening energy crisis, worsening law-and-order, and economic troubles. “Ministers claim there is no fuel crisis, but the government has run out of fuel,” he said.
Nahid added that BNP had become unpopular within just two months of taking office. “I don’t know if any government in Bangladesh’s history has become so unpopular so quickly,” he said, while emphasizing that his party seeks no instability.
“Our sole demand is that the July Charter be implemented according to the referendum, and that the mass uprising and martyrs’ families be honored. We are working through both the streets and Parliament to secure this.”
The rally also featured addresses by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Col. (retd) Oli Ahmad, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque, and other senior leaders of the 11-party alliance.
