Dhaka: BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed today emphasized that their primary demand is for the Chief Adviser to promptly announce an election roadmap, aiming to conduct national elections by December. He highlighted this priority while addressing journalists following a meeting between BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Salahuddin stated that both parties reached a consensus on the election issue during the meeting, which covered various topics, including cases against Hefazat-e-Islam leaders, genocide trials, electoral reforms, and the upcoming parliamentary elections. The BNP leader noted that Hefazat-e-Islam agreed with the call for elections to be held by December and that appropriate strategies would be devised to ensure timely elections.
Salahuddin expressed concerns over potential delays in the election process, noting that assurances had been given about December elections but that there have been shifts in the timeline. He highlighted that any attempts to postpone elections would not be acceptable.
He also addressed the brutal crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam activists during the previous Awami League regime, specifically the 2013 Shapla Chattar massacre. Salahuddin demanded justice for the victims and supported Hefazat-e-Islam’s call for a swift resolution of related cases.
Furthermore, Salahuddin mentioned the demand for justice regarding the killing of 24 religious scholars and madrasa students in 2021, during another government crackdown in Chittagong and Brahmanbaria. He criticized the previous government for framing false charges against religious scholars and activists, urging the withdrawal of such cases immediately.
Salahuddin called for the trial of the Awami League for its role in genocide and crimes against humanity. He urged the government to take the matter seriously and consider legal amendments if necessary.
The meeting with Hefazat-e-Islam was led by its Secretary General Maulana Sajedur Rahman and included key figures such as Nayeb-e-Ameer Ahmed Abdul Kader, Maulana Bahuddin Zakaria, and others.