BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday said the national elections must be held on time, asserting that no one has the power to stop them.
“Despite various conspiracies, the elections will be held before next Ramadan, and the people of the country will guard the process,” he said at the inaugural session of the district BNP triennial council at the historic Moktarpara ground in Netrakona town.
Salahuddin highlighted the toll of political repression, noting that over 3,000 people fell victim to extrajudicial killings up to the 2024 Student Uprising. He added that thousands more suffered enforced disappearances, murders, and political torture. According to the UN, more than 1,400 people were killed and over 20,000 injured during the 2024 Mass Uprising.
Reflecting on his own experience, Salahuddin said, “I was a victim of enforced disappearance and forced to live in exile for almost ten years. Our politics is Bangladesh first, Bangladesh last. Our purpose and address is Bangladesh foremost.”
He emphasized independence in politics, saying, “We will not have any master abroad, only friends abroad. The people have proven with their blood that no one can abolish democracy in this country.”
Salahuddin added that the Mass Uprising permanently overthrew fascist forces from Bangladesh.
The programme was chaired by District BNP Convener Professor Dr. Md. Anwarul Haque and attended by senior leaders including Syed Alamgir, BNP Joint Secretary General Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel, Organizing Secretary Md. Shariful Alam, Legal Affairs Secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal, and former State Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar.
The town was decorated with banners and festoons for the first district conference in 11 years. Direct voting of 1,515 councillors is now underway to elect the district president and general secretary.
The last conference was held on October 25, 2014, which elected Md. Ashraf Uddin Khan as president, Professor Dr. Md. Anwarul Haque as general secretary, and SM Moniruzzaman Dudu as organizing secretary.
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