BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday questioned why voters will not have the option to say ‘No’ if they disagree with any of the four questions in the proposed national referendum.
“We have seen that there are four questions, and voters must answer either yes or no. But there is no space to say ‘no’. If I disagree with any of the four questions, where will I write ‘no’? This gap has not been addressed in the referendum process,” he said.
Rizvi made the remarks after providing financial assistance to ailing radio artiste Afroza Nezami on behalf of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, in the city’s Shyamoli area, at an event organised by ‘Amra BNP Paribar’.
He said the referendum process lacks a clear option for rejecting any question, and experts have also raised the same concerns. “If someone cannot agree with a question, there must be a clear and visible space on the ballot to reject it. But this provision is missing.”
The BNP leader said anything done in a hurried or unclear way does not last. “For any national process to be sustainable, it must be clear, strong and understandable to at least 90 percent of the people. If people do not understand the purpose of the referendum, they will remain confused, and the whole effort will lose meaning.”
He said the spirit of the July Charter should be explained in simple terms so that ordinary people can understand it.
Rizvi said people need food, shelter, healthcare for the sick, and education for their children. “These are the first conditions for any charter. The July Charter should have been presented in a way that the whole nation could understand why the referendum is needed.”
He said the government must clearly explain the goals, the legal process, and why the referendum is necessary. “People are asking these questions today, and that is why we are raising them before you.”
The BNP leader said the main spirit of the July Revolution was to build a Bangladesh where no fascist force rises again, where opposition parties can speak freely, and citizens can live safely.
Accusing the government of allowing the situation to become unstable, he said the country is being pushed into a murky situation as the fallen dictator is sitting abroad and organising violence and carrying out subversive acts. “Arson attacks in Dhaka and Gazipur have shown this clearly.”
Rizvi alleged that such arson violence is the ‘culture of the Awami League’, not BNP. “When we called hartals for restoring democracy, they would try to blame BNP by committing arson themselves. Youth League and Chhatra League members were caught red-handed many times.”
He said the recent arson incidents show who is responsible for the arson violence in the past as well. “This is their culture — a fascist culture.”
Rizvi said the interim government must ensure a free, fair and peaceful national election in the first week of February. “Everyone must remain alert and aware.”
Replying to a question about Jamaat and some other parties’ threat to continue their movement for PR and referendums before the national election, Rizvi said talks are the best way to resolve problems.
“But giving any programme that looks like a ‘point of no return’ is not right at this moment. Our country needs to grow democratically. In democracy, there is no ‘point of no return’. Democracy allows discussion, criticism, and protest — all of these. But if you reach a point of no return, democracy collapses,” he added.