BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday alleged that those advocating for a proportional representation (PR) system and prioritizing local government elections may have intentions to delay or obstruct the upcoming national election.
“Those who are talking about a proportional election system have a motive. Those who want local government elections before the national election also have a motive. Either they want to delay the election or prevent it from taking place altogether in Bangladesh. That could be their intention,” he said while speaking to reporters after a memorial publication event on martyred president Ziaur Rahman at the International Mother Language Institute Auditorium.
The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh are united in their demand for the national election to be held in early February next year.
“All the democratic people of this country have not struggled for local government elections. We have fought for 17 years for a free, fair, and neutral national election. We have lost countless lives to establish our right to vote,” he said.
Salahuddin said the sacrifices made by martyrs during the student-led mass uprising reflect the people’s desire for a truly democratic state. “We will certainly be able to build that democratic state if a political government is established through a free and fair national election,” he added.
He said a consensus proposal was made through a joint statement to hold the national election in the week before Ramadan begins—in the first half of February 2026—following discussions in London between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
“This will only become effective when the chief adviser conveys the message and instructions to the Election Commission through the appropriate process. When the Chief Adviser’s Office, the Election Commission, or both together inform the nation, only then can we be truly assured that the election will be held at that time,” the BNP leader said.
