Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar has accused the BNP of steering the country towards fascist rule by opposing the implementation of the July Charter through constitutional reform orders. Speaking as the chief guest at a press briefing on Sunday afternoon in Bogura to announce the election manifesto and development plan of Jamaat-e-Islami's nominated candidate for the Bogura-6 by-election, Professor Porwar said,
"Thirty-three political parties held discussions for nine long months under the interim government and formulated the July Charter. To give it legal status, the government organised parliamentary elections and a referendum through a presidential order based on the consensus of all parties."
He added that, according to the decisions of the Consensus Commission, those elected on February 12 simultaneously became members of parliament and the Constitutional Reform Council. As a result, every MP was supposed to take two oaths. However, after securing a two-thirds majority, the BNP has forgotten these commitments. They did not take oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. Now they are opposing the July Charter implementation order and have moved a proposal in parliament to scrap the constitutional reform order.
"While they accepted the parliamentary election held under the same order and formed the government, they are now rejecting the referendum. Through this, the BNP is deceiving the entire nation," he alleged.
Porwar further said that nearly five crore voters rejected the BNP's note of dissent by casting 'Yes' votes in the referendum. Unable to accept this, the BNP has now initiated steps to cancel the referendum. By rejecting the reforms necessary to build a truly democratic state, the BNP is heading towards fascist rule, he claimed.
"As a responsible opposition party, Jamaat-e-Islami, along with 11 other parties, will make maximum efforts to implement the public's aspirations," he added.
Referring to the overall environment of the Bogura by-election, Porwar urged the local administration to ensure fairness.
"Workers and leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami are being threatened and intimidated by supporters of the ruling party's candidate.
Complaints are being filed, but no remedy is coming. We want to see a free and fair election. Do not try to turn the Prime Minister's constituency into another Magura," he warned.
