BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has ruled out any possibility of an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of the next national election.
Speaking to journalists at his Gulshan residence on Saturday, Salahuddin said the BNP expects a fair election under the banner of anti-fascist national unity, which he believes will become a historic event in the country’s political history.
On possible alliances, he said the BNP may join hands with parties that participated in the simultaneous movement, and they could also be part of the next government.
Salahuddin added that the BNP is in talks with several Islam-oriented parties, though nothing has been finalized. Other parties involved in past movements may also be brought into the fold through further discussions, he noted.
He accused some parties of trying to create confusion, describing it as a political tactic.
Dismissing demands for a proportional representation system or a Constituent Assembly as mere strategies to keep the political field heated, he said: “An electoral mood already prevails across the country. Whoever stands against it will ultimately be politically sidelined.”
On the July Charter, Salahuddin said the BNP found some commitments in the document “irrational.” He added that the party will submit alternative proposals during discussions with the Consensus Commission, but stressed the BNP will not accept any clause that goes beyond the Constitution.
“Through dialogue, political parties will reach a common ground,” he said.
On constitutional reforms, Salahuddin observed that some provisions, if enforced immediately, might create contradictions. He suggested the reforms be implemented after the upcoming parliamentary election, through national consensus.
Regarding the interim government, Salahuddin reiterated that BNP wants no complications over the matter. “This government has been formed through consensus. Once the caretaker system is restored, it can be implemented in future elections. But this election must be held within the declared timeframe—there’s no scope for anything else,” he stressed.