Referendum Must Be Held on Election Day, Says Mirza Fakhrul, the BNP Secretary General. He said that the referendum should be held on the day of the national elections. No referendum will be allowed to be held before the parliamentary elections. He has said that a national referendum must take place on the same day as the parliamentary election, insisting that the party will not allow any referendum beforehand.
Speaking as the chief guest at a memorial event in Jashore on Thursday (November 6), held to mark the seventh death anniversary of BNP Standing Committee member and former minister Tariqul Islam, Fakhrul warned that attempts to delay or disrupt the upcoming election would not be tolerated.
He accused several political groups of creating instability by pushing various demands and trying to derail the electoral process. “The public will not accept this. We achieved independence through bloodshed and have a chance to return to a democratic system. We cannot allow any conspiracy to destroy this opportunity,” he said.
Issuing a strong warning to rival political parties, Fakhrul said, “We have shown great responsibility and have not taken to the streets yet. Remember, the BNP is not a party that emerged overnight—it is a party built by the people of this country.”
He urged political parties to refrain from causing unrest. “Do not muddy the waters. Do not push the country toward instability or cause distress to the people. We have struggled long and hard. Cases have been filed against 600,000 of our people, and 20,000 have died. You are trying to restart conflict for political gain, and the public will not accept it,” he added.
Calling for the immediate announcement of the election schedule, Fakhrul said, “Stop the delay. Announce the election timetable without further excuses and move forward with the reforms agreed upon in October. Otherwise, you will become a failed government and bear full responsibility.”
He also criticized the Consensus Commission, accusing it of bias. “You are now saying political parties should sit together and decide. What were you doing all this time? You have not done the job properly. We have always attended the commission and presented our views,” Fakhrul said.
The event was presided over by Jashore District BNP President Syed Saberul Haque. BNP candidates for the five Jashore constituencies—Mofiqul Hasan, Sabira Sultana, Anindya Islam, T.S. Ayub, and Kazi Rawnakul Islam—also spoke at the memorial. The program was conducted by District BNP General Secretary Delwar Hossain.
Fakhrul introduced the BNP candidates for Jashore and urged party leaders and workers to stay united and work collectively to ensure their victory in the upcoming election.
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