BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has stated that the issue of holding a referendum without a note of dissent was never discussed in the National Consensus Commission.

He also alleged that Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s dual role has created a “conflict of interest.”

Speaking to reporters at his Gulshan residence in Dhaka on Wednesday (November 12), Salahuddin asserted that the Chief Adviser “cannot retract his statement” that the national charter will be based on the consensus reached among political parties and that the next elected parliament will be responsible for implementing it.

He said the current interim government, headed by Dr. Yunus, is tasked with implementing the July National Charter, and BNP and its allies will cooperate by participating in elections and mobilizing public support.

However, Salahuddin accused the Chief Adviser of “deviating significantly” from the commitments outlined in the signed July Charter while leading both the interim government and National Consensus Commission.

“There is a clear conflict of interest here,” he said. “We expect the government to remain neutral and refrain from any move that could divide or destabilize the nation.”

Recalling the three rounds of talks with Reform Commission and National Consensus Commission, Salahuddin said the July National Charter was signed just days after the final discussions.

“We proposed that it be signed in a historic ceremony where all political parties would pledge to uphold it,” he added.

The BNP leader noted that the charter contained around 84 clauses, some of which carried notes of dissent from various parties.

“These were not conventional notes of dissent,” Salahuddin explained. “They stated that if any political party or alliance that had expressed such dissent came to power with a public mandate, it could implement its position accordingly.”