The exchange of allegations and counter-allegations between the government and the opposition over implementing the July National Charter and the referendum outcome has finally moved into the political field.
After the Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party entered the field, blaming the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party as opposed to the July Charter and reforms, the BNP has now stepped in, calling the opposition’s allegations propaganda.
The BNP has, meanwhile, launched a month-long grassroots programme across the country to explain its position on the July National Charter and referendum amid growing pressure from opposition political parties to implement the charter.
Since the formation of the government, the BNP’s political activities at the grassroots level had remained absent.
On the other hand, opposition parties, including the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies, have kept staging programmes to demand the implementation of the July charter, alleging that the government had undermined the referendum outcome and was unwilling to implement the charter.
Amid continued allegations from opposition parties that the BNP was ignoring the July charter, the party has recently instructed its district, metropolitan, and upazila units to launch month-long programmes to inform people about its stance on the July charter and referendum.
In a letter signed by BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the party directed its district and metropolitan unit committees to coordinate with recognised associate and affiliated organisations to strengthen organisational activities at the grassroots level.
The letter asked the local leaders to implement the programmes with due importance and ensure greater organisational dynamism through coordinated political activities across the country.
With the letter, the BNP also sent a leaflet containing the explanation of the party’s stance on the July charter and referendum.
The party programmes included courtyard meetings, street rallies, leaflet distribution, exchange-of-views, processions, and public outreach campaigns.
The BNP in its leaflet said that question B among the four referendum questions was contradictory to the July charter signed by the political parties.
Question B of the referendum was: ‘The next Jatiya Sangsad shall be bicameral. A 100-member upper chamber shall be constituted based on the proportion of votes received by political parties in the Jatiya Sangsad elections, and any constitutional amendment shall require the approval by a majority of the upper chamber.’
The BNP in its leaflet said that the party supported the establishment of a 100-member upper house in accordance with the July charter and was fully committed to follow the charter, signed by the party.
The leaflet then said that political parties were permitted under articles 18 and 19 of the July charter to implement it in accordance with their respective election manifestos.
Besides, the BNP also included several other issues, including increasing women’s representation in the JS and electing the deputy speaker from the opposition bench, in the leaflet which had already been violated by the opposition.
BNP chairman and prime minister Tarique Rahman on April 9 exchanged views with the grassroots leaders of the party and its associate bodies -- Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal -- at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh auditorium in the capital.
The PM at the event instructed party leaders to implement public outreach programmee across the country to respond to the opposition’s allegations against the BNP regarding the July charter and referendum.
The opposition parties, including the Jamaat and National Citizens Party, have been holding mass rallies, meetings, and seminars demanding the implementation of the July charter since May 2.
After distributing leaflets and holding seminars in divisional cities and district headquarters the opposition parties started rallies in every divisional city.
