National Citizens Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam has said that holding national elections in February is not possible until the July Charter is implemented and the genocide is prosecuted.

He made this statement after exchanging views with party leaders and activists at the Parjatan Metro Hall in Rangpur city on Wednesday evening.

In this context, Nahid further said, ‘The February elections have no meaning if the genocide is not tried. Until this trial is held, the election is just a formality, a paper sign, whose value is only on paper. In the history of Bangladesh, we have seen, even after the mass uprising of the 1990s, that the three-party framework has been used only as a path to power. The sacrifice of the people’s blood has been forgotten. We will not make that mistake again.’

He said that elections should be held by February. For this, all parties have to work. The fallen forces are conspiring in various ways. If any party or force, out of greed for power, thinks that they will do everything alone or break national unity or stand against the wishes of the people, then it will be counterproductive. They will not be able to survive the parliament. They will have difficulty surviving the parliament and they will not get the trust of the people. Therefore, I urge all political parties to be in favor of reforms.

Regarding the July Charter, the NCP convener further said, “The July Charter is not just a party proposal, it is a document of people’s liberation. Without the implementation of the July Charter, democracy in this country will not be complete. We have heard that the consensus commission will give recommendations for the implementation of the July Charter. We want the issues on which there has been consensus or the issues that the commission has written down for constitutional reform to be put to a referendum. The people will decide what will remain and what will change.”

He said, there will be no such thing as a ‘note of dissent’. The outline of the reforms will go to the people, they will decide. Implementing any charter without a referendum means ignoring the people’s opinions.

Nahid mentioned that the outline of the implementation of the July Charter will have to be announced by the Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The July Charter will be approved through a referendum and this order will be issued by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The basis of the reforms will be public participation and popular consent.