Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday issued a warning that his party would launch street demonstrations if the people’s mandate expressed through a referendum is not implemented in Parliament.
Speaking to journalists at the LD Hall of the Parliament complex, he said the issue would ultimately be resolved either inside Parliament or through public movement outside it. He stressed that the opposition could not ignore what he described as a “public demand” reflected in the referendum outcome.
“We will not leave this demand, nor do we have the right to do so,” he said, adding that his party remained committed to reflecting the aspirations of the people and would not betray that responsibility. He expressed confidence that the demand would eventually be fulfilled, saying it would be realised “either today or tomorrow.”
Dr Shafiqur also rejected a government proposal requesting opposition nominations for a special parliamentary committee on constitutional amendments. He clarified that his party would only consider participating in a committee specifically formed for constitutional reform, not for routine amendment procedures.
Referring to the referendum results, he said around 70 per cent of voters supported constitutional reform, adding that the opposition stands with the people’s verdict. He said participation in any committee would depend on whether it was aimed at reform rather than standard amendment work.
He further explained that constitutional amendments are a regular parliamentary function and do not require a special committee. However, if reform proposals are formally brought as bills, the opposition would participate in discussions.
On parliamentary conduct, he said opposition MPs were elected to represent public interests. If they were denied the opportunity to speak or if important issues were ignored, they might walk out of Parliament temporarily, but not for an extended period.
He also criticised past parliamentary practices, claiming that effective opposition had weakened in recent election cycles, and stressed that his party would not act as a “submissive opposition” but would focus strictly on national interest issues, avoiding irrelevant debates inside Parliament.
