Staff Correspondent:

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has asked why the National Consensus Commission was formed at all as the “notes of dissent” on the commission’s recommendations for implementing the July Charter have been completely ignored.

This is a deception of the people—a deception against the political parties, he added.

He made these remarks on Wednesday at the launch of journalist and fiction writer Ehsan Mahmud’s book ‘Trial, Reform, Election: Bangladesh in Interim Government’s Era’ at the National Press Club’s Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Auditorium in Dhaka.

“Such a mass uprising and so many sacrifices of lives, we have not been able to channel that energy properly for the welfare of the nation. Unfortunately, the more time passes, the more divided we become. We must understand who is creating these divisions and why. In the media, especially on social media, we often see groups going all out to completely destroy their opponents,” the BNP leader alleged.

The National Consensus Commission submitted its recommendations to the interim government on Tuesday on how to implement the July Charter.

Referring to that, Mirza Fakhrul said the parties submitted notes of dissent in issues where they disagreed. The commission had promised to record those notes of dissent in the final recommendations. But to their astonishment, they found that those notes were completely excluded—ignored altogether. This cannot be called consensus.

Then why was this commission created? he asked.

“I would say—this is a deception of the people. It is a deception of the political parties,” the BNP secretary general said.

Calling this interim period a time for unity, Mirza Fakhrul said that this is the time to find common ground on the basic issues and to move forward along a shared path. But instead, that space for unity is being fragmented. Everyone surely understands who is doing this and why.

He reiterated that at the root of all crises lies the absence of a truly acceptable election. Only through such an election can a people’s parliament be formed, and that parliament will bring necessary constitutional reforms and guide the nation.

That is why BNP called for elections immediately after the 5 August mass uprising.

Addressing the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, Mirza Fakhrul said, “You are now publicly committed—bound by your word—to deliver reforms and to ensure a credible, acceptable election for the people.

Through that election, a new parliament will emerge that can resolve the nation’s crises. So, if any deviation occurs from that path, if you step away from that commitment, the full responsibility will rest upon you. I want to make that absolutely clear.”