The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday raised questions over the demand for a second republic and constituent assembly elections by the National Citizens Party, a new political party formed by the leaders of the July uprising, and termed the demands a conspiracy to push the state system into a prolonged undemocratic process.
The party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed made the allegation at a discussion organised聽 by the Nationalist Research Foundation at the Diploma Engineers Institute in Dhaka.
Student and youth leaders of the July-August mass uprising launched the NCP on Friday and announced that the election of a Constituent Assembly and the establishment of a second republic were their goals.
Salahuddin said that there was another intention behind the NCP demands.
Those who are raising the issues either do not understand or are unaware that there is a conspiracy to push our state system into a prolonged undemocratic process, the BNP leader alleged.
鈥楬as our current republic become sick? What does the term 鈥榬epublic鈥� actually mean? A republic is a state where elected representatives govern and there is either a nominal or an elected head of state. Don鈥檛 we already have that?鈥� Salahuddin wanted to know.
The BNP leader, however, welcomed the beginning of the NCP.
He issued an ultimatum to the chief advisor to announce the roadmap for the national elections within one month.
鈥業f, for any reason, you fail to present the roadmap within this month, we, the democratic forces, will have no choice but to convene and reassess the course of action within the democratic process,鈥� Salahuddin said.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, addressing the event, said that, despite making many positive statements, he did not find any political philosophy from the National Citizens Party.
Rizvi attended the launching ceremony of the NCP on Manik Mia Avenue in the capital.
