Dhaka: Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Thursday stated they aim to play a constructive role in Parliament rather than acting as a conventional opposition. "We want to play a positive role as a constructive opposition. We do not want to be a conventional opposition. If the government makes mistakes, we will not only protest but also forge resistance in some cases," he noted.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Shafiqur made these remarks during a view-exchange meeting with reporters at the LD Hall of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after the prorogation of the third session of the 13th Parliament. He emphasized the necessity for the government to fulfill its promises regarding reforms and the referendum. Shafiqur highlighted that both the general election and the referendum were held on the same day, yet the government has not adhered to its pre-election commitments. He vowed to persist in this demand as long as they remain in Parliament.
The opposition leader questioned the BNP's reluctance to accept the demand despite its history of facing repression. He asserted that implementing these reform initiatives would prevent any political party from establishing authoritarian rule in the future. He expressed concerns that several laws were passed during the session without incorporating logical suggestions from the opposition.
Commenting on the Special Response Battalion (SRB) Bill 2026, Shafiqur argued that the proposed SRB is essentially the same as the existing Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), describing the change as merely superficial. He accused the government of rushing the SRB Bill through Parliament without considering opposition suggestions. Additionally, he criticized the passage of the Transfer of Property (Amendment) Bill, 2026, asserting that it contradicts the Holy Quran and Sunnah.
Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam criticized the formation of parliamentary standing committees, claiming they were not established in accordance with the July Charter. He noted that committee chairmanships were not proportionally allocated to the opposition. Nahid also alleged that BNP women MPs have been tasked with overseeing development activities in constituencies where opposition MPs were elected. He further stated that the opposition believes the government has failed to resolve the ongoing gas and power crisis, as it has not provided immediate solutions to these challenges.