Zainal Abedin Shishir, Joint Member Secretary of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has questioned the BNP’s reluctance to participate in local government, student union, and constituent assembly elections, despite its repeated claims of being the country’s most popular political force.
On Friday, April 11, Shishir voiced his criticism through a Facebook status, challenging the BNP’s confidence in its popularity, stating, “If BNP is truly as popular as it claims, why does it panic at the very mention of elections beyond the national polls?”
He accused BNP leaders of continuously chanting slogans for a national election under the assumption of sweeping all 300 constituencies, yet showing visible discomfort whenever student union, local government, or constituent assembly elections are proposed.
“If the people are really eager to vote BNP into power,” he added, “wouldn’t they also vote for the party in student, union, upazila, district, or city corporation elections? What explains this withdrawal, if not fear of exposure?”
Shishir referred to the July student uprising, which he claimed was written in the blood of 2,000 protesters, many of whom had demanded student union elections in colleges and universities. Yet, according to him, BNP now stands as a barrier to that demand—prioritizing parliamentary elections instead.
He further alleged that BNP has a history of suppressing student politics, stating, “After assuming power in 1991, the BNP halted student union elections and did not reinstate them even after returning to power in 2001.” Shishir questioned what democratic principle permits dismantling platforms designed to shape the country’s future leadership.
The NCP leader went on to say that BNP avoids local government elections possibly because these polls expose the ground-level realities—corruption, extortion, and muscle politics among its grassroots. Moreover, emerging parties like the NCP could pose a threat to BNP’s political dominance by becoming more accessible to the masses.
In his concluding remarks, Shishir urged the BNP to stop obstructing the nation’s democratic progress. He called on the party to support the idea of holding national and constituent assembly elections together and back bold political reforms, including banning the ruling Awami League, which he accused of genocide and child killings.
“After 54 years, a rare opportunity for state reform has arrived,” he wrote. “Will BNP align with history this time, or once again ignore the nation’s collective aspiration?”
LND/BG
