BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the increasing desperation of some political parties to hold a referendum before the national election, bypassing the constitution, has raised public suspicion about their motives, reports UNB.
He made the remarks while, speaking at a discussion titled 'Bangladesh's Constitution and Reform Proposals', organised by Gonoforum at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Thursday.
He stated that it was not right for BNP to accept the unconstitutional demand for a referendum, which some political parties are now trying to exploit to derail the election.
"There is no provision for a referendum in the existing constitution. If anyone wants to hold it, they must first amend the constitution, and that can only be done in Parliament through public representatives," the BNP leader said.
He said BNP agreed to the proposal for a referendum in the spirit of political tolerance and national unity.
Khosru, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, said their party might have supported the idea of holding a referendum on the day of the national election as a gesture of goodwill and compromise. "But in reality, no other vote can take place on the election day. That's why I believe BNP's show of generosity was not right - it was neither constitutionally correct, nor morally or democratically justifiable."
He said this 'unnecessary generosity' in the name of promoting political unity has now created more complications as some political parties are now demanding the referendum before the election.
"This raises a serious question in the public mind - what is the purpose of such a referendum, and why is there so much desperation for it? They want to hold it by breaking the law, bypassing the constitution, and going beyond democratic principles and spirit. So, one may wonder if there is an ill motive behind it," he observed.
Khosru said the constitution can only be amended through Parliament, not through any external process or political negotiation. "Those who took oath under this constitution cannot go beyond it," he said.
"The current government has taken oath under the existing constitution, accepting its authority. That means the constitution is very much in force. So, any solution to the crisis must come within this constitutional framework. No one has the right to bring changes, amendments, or solutions outside it," he added.
The BNP leader criticised the way some political parties are pushing the referendum idea by holding rallies and meetings. "This raises the question - do they really trust the people? Do they truly believe in democracy and the people's ownership of the country?"
