Bobby Hajjaj, chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), has called for the Awami League to be declared a "criminal organization."
He made this demand during the first meeting of the National Consensus Commission, which took place at the Foreign Service Academy on Saturday.
Speaking to the press afterward, Hajjaj said: "The meeting discussed the timing and manner of the national election, but first, there is an urgent need to ban the Awami League."
He went on to accuse the Awami League of committing mass killings over the past 16 years, saying: "They have rigged every election, and most notably, carried out unprecedented mass killings in July-August of last year. We have requested the Chief Adviser to officially declare the Awami League a terrorist group and to prohibit their political activities."
On the upcoming elections, he added: "We have clearly stated that local elections will not be acceptable before the national election. There are concerns about riots and clashes surrounding the local elections. Law enforcement agencies are currently unable to manage the situation, and they will not be able to in the future. Therefore, it is essential to hold the national election first."
